


Kiss me, beneath the milky twilight

by AngelApollo



Category: Total Drama (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blow Jobs, Cody's parents suck, First Kiss, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Hand Jobs, Heather and Cody are FRIENDS, Heather is a great wingman, I mess with the timeline of the seasons, Kissing Lessons, Love Confessions, M/M, Miscommunication, Multi, Mutual Pining, NSFW, New Years, Noah basically takes him on a date, Noah sucks at saying what he feels, Semi-Public Sex, Stargazing, There should be a count for how many times Noah says they're just friends, and fuck it Noah's mom gets a tag, like they're 18 by the end of this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:27:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 66,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25296148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelApollo/pseuds/AngelApollo
Summary: Cody hadn’t said it aloud, but Noah felt that what had just happened between them was going to be a one-time thing. He knew that if he thought about the sweet taste of Cody’s mouth or how good it had felt to have the shorter boy in his lap, he knew he’d want more. It was just going to be a one-time thing, not become a habit.What begins as Cody just trying to work out his sexuality, evolves into nearly two years of pining from Noah's end.Every time he see's Cody, he promises himself he won't kiss him again.
Relationships: Bridgette/Geoff (Total Drama), Cody Anderson/Alejandro Burromuerto (briefly), Cody Anderson/Noah, Cody Anderson/Trent (briefly), Izzy/Owen (side)
Comments: 59
Kudos: 123





	1. Island and Action

Kiss me, beneath the milky twilight

“Noah!”

Noah didn’t look up from his book, splayed out on a deckchair by the pool at Playa De Losers, enjoying every last second of his hard-earned solitude before the owner of the high-pitched voice reached him.

“Noah.”

This time, Noah reacted a little, lifting his gaze from the current chapter to peer over the book at one out-of-breath Cody.

“Cody.” He said, his tone flat, trying to show that he was not in the mood for another round of video games or whatever else that Cody had come to bother him about.

Although the pair of them had been on the same team on the Island, they really hadn’t had much time to get to know each other in the cabins. The few days after the dreaded awake-a-thon, Noah had purposely avoided the gap-toothed brunette out of embarrassment. Then Noah’s early elimination had happened, and he’d thought that would be it, but no, freaking Chris McLean thought torturing them on a crazy summer camp island wasn’t enough, he’d lump them all together at some resort too until he was satisfied.

The upside to all this hassle was that Noah had actually made some friends along the way. Sure, he hadn’t won $100,000 or started dating a supermodel (not Justin!) but getting the chance to just chill out with each other and less back-stabbing and tactics had made most of them get along. Izzy and Eva had kept him sane amongst these other teens, somehow, which was pretty rich coming from Izzy. He knew he’d keep in contact with them, even when he went home. Plenty of the guys had turned out to be ok too, Trent and DJ, and to his biggest surprise, a party boy like Geoff actually enjoyed his company too. And even though Owen was still in the competition, Noah was rooting for him, favouring the large boy after the few jokes they’d gotten to share.

Cody was another one that he’d quickly became close with, after their time on the Island. When Cody had arrived, practically tipped off of the boat still in his wheelchair and wrapped up like a mummy, Noah had felt that sorry for him he’d actually helped the nerd out. It wasn’t like Justin or Ezekiel were going to, and even though Tyler tried his best to be useful, he was basically a walking hazard and probably would have killed Cody by accident. So, Noah had spent weeks hanging out with Cody, talking about video games and music and just about everything else under the sun. True to his word, Cody had healed fast. One minute Noah was carrying his lunch tray for him and wheeling the chair into the shade, the next Cody was free from his casts, bouncing about and speeding off to the pool ahead of Noah. And if that made Noah smile, he sure wasn’t going to tell anyone.

“Heeey, earth to Noah?!” Cody was waving his hand in front of Noah’s face, blocking out the last of the evening light that he’d been reading by.

“I’m busy.” Noah rolled his eyes. “Let me finish this, then I’ll come do whatever it is you want me to.” Then he thought for a second. “Maybe.” Just to be sure.

“But this is important.” Cody pouted, pushing Noah’s legs over and perching on the end of the lounger.

“Kosmic Kaos isn’t that important.” Noah deadpanned.

“I’m not here to ask you to play a game with me, jeez!” Cody shook his knee, relentless on pestering him it seemed.

“Fine.” Noah gave in, bookmarking his page and lowering the book. “What do you want?”

“You don’t have to be so grumpy, I thought we were cool.” Cody huffed, putting his chin in his hands and looking over to the pool, where Katie and Sadie were still on the inflatable chairs and giggling about whatever amused them.

“No, don’t start, see I’m paying attention now.” Noah just wanted to get this over with, as much as he enjoyed the others company most of the time, he had just gotten to an awesome part in his story. “What’s up?”

“Well, y’know how your gay?” Cody blurted out, and he wasn’t meeting Noah’s eyes, suddenly fixated on his fingernails.

Oh, it was going to be one of _those_ talks.

Noah hadn’t made it a secret what his sexual orientation was to anyone, and most people didn’t ask anyway. Noah had been aware of his feelings for guys since as long as he could remember, he was out back home, his family supported him, and he’d even had a couple of boyfriends. It just wasn’t something he blasted to everyone within a ten-mile radius.

But Cody had asked about it a few days after he’d arrived at the resort. For a minute, Noah had panicked, thinking Cody was upset about the ear kiss, but the other had made it obvious he was just trying to get to know Noah, not accuse him of anything weird. They’d had a few conversations about it already, with lots of honest questions from Cody’s side, and although the smaller one claimed to be straight, Noah didn’t think any straight boy asked for so many details about gay movies and sex dreams about Orlando Bloom.

“I’m vaguely aware of it, yes Cody.” Noah said, voice dripping with sarcasm, making Cody finally look over at him and smirk. “What about it?”

“Can you kiss me?”

Noah’s brain short-circuited then. This wasn’t where he had expected this conversation to go.

“Huh?” He said dumbly.

“I don’t want to repeat it.” Cody was beet-red, and it wasn’t just from sunburn this time.

“I think I heard you wrong.”

“No, I said can you kiss me? Please?”

“Yeah, ok, guess I did hear you right.” Noah could feel his own face heating up now. He cast a glance to Katie and Sadie in the pool, but they were lost in their chatting, not interested in the two geeks on the lounger. “But why?” This was pretty out of the blue.

Cody didn’t answer him at first, twiddling his thumbs in his lap, back to looking at anything but Noah, who was waiting patiently for a sane answer.

“This was a dumb idea.” Cody mumbled, going to stand up and run away, but Noah grabbed his arm, harder than he had intended to it seemed, when Cody twitched in his grip.

“Hey!” Noah pulled him back down, and that got the attention of the two girls in the pool. “Just kinda outa nowhere, that’s all. What’s this about?” He had lowered his voice, trying to keep it between just them, not the two gossips.

“I just…” Cody wavered. “So, I’ve been having some thoughts about guys, for a while now.” This didn’t shock Noah in the least, but he let Cody continue. “And just, I don’t have a guy I like or anything, I just want to see what it’s like. To get an answer, you know?” He smiled weakly at Noah.

Noah nodded, he’d heard this story before, and had done the same sort of thing himself.

“And I just figured, you’d be the guy to turn to for it. Because we’re friends, right?” He blinked at Noah with those big blue eyes, and although Noah knew it was probably a bad idea, he’d made up his mind.

“Course we’re friends.” He reassured the other. “So you think you might be gay?” He felt like maybe they should actually talk about what Cody was feeling too.

“Maybe not gay.” Cody shrugged. “I mean, I’m still head-over-heels for Gwen, and since she’s mad at Trent now, maybe I’ll have a chance!” His enthusiasm was back with that, as it often was when he talked about Gwen.

Noah rolled his eyes again, but with affection. Truthfully, he didn’t think Gwen was ever going to see Cody as anything more than a good friend or like a cute little brother, but he didn’t want to stamp on his friends hopes.

“So bisexual then?”

“Yeah, maybe. That’s why I want to test it out, if you’re down. And, as cringey as this is to say, I’ve never kissed anyone before, so with this competition almost over, and seeing Gwen again next week, I want to be ready. Make sure I’ve got the moves, y’know?” Cody friking finger-gunned Noah then, making Noah shove him lightly for doing such an uncool move. “So, will you do it?” He begged.

Noah had given in like a parent with hyperactive toddler who wanted more candy. Actually, sometimes Cody was so hyperactive from sweets that Noah could see the resemblance. He’d agreed to Cody’s out-there request, but had suggested they move somewhere else, somewhere more private. Cody had laughed at him for that, joking that Noah wanted in his pants already, even before a kiss, but had thought of a good place that he knew would be dead at this time of the day. They’d headed for the docks as the sun was setting, getting quizzical looks from Sadie and Katie, and some of the other campers they’d passed making their way to the dining hall, but no real conflicts along the way.

The pair of them sat in silence, hidden from view of the house by a couple of Geoff and Bridgette’s canoes, legs swinging over the edge. Noah started to wish he’d brought his book with him when five minutes had passed, and Cody had begun to say something then stopped about ten times now. Noah didn’t want to push him into anything, it had to be Cody that began it.

“So…” Cody said for the hundredth time. “How do we start this?” He’d gotten a bit further this time, and Noah felt like he had to give Cody a hand with this at least.

“How do you want it to start?” Noah asked.

“Well…I don’t really know.” Cody confessed. “How has it gone before for you?”

“Usually we’re sitting a lot closer for starters.”

Cody took the hint, shuffling closer to fill the yard-wide gap between them until his thigh was pressed against Noah’s. “And then?”

“Then usually someone leans forward and starts kissing, it’s pretty simple.” Noah finished. “If you don’t want to do this, it’s fine Cody.”

“No, no!” Cody protested. “I’m just nervous aha.” He laughed airily, the hint of a blush reappearing on his cheeks.

“Do you want me to kiss you? It might be easier that way.” Noah offered.

“Heheh.” Cody giggled, his nerves clearly getting to him. “Because we know you’re good at doing that, since you like smooching on my ear and all.”

“That was an accident!”

“Mhmm, does it really make a difference? If you kiss me or I kiss you?” There was so much thought going in to this it was starting to make Noah’s head hurt.

“Yeah, a bit. Might be easier for you.”

“Probably then?” Cody shrugged, his leg bouncing as he waited for Noah.

Noah sighed and thought he needed to get this show on the road, his stomach was beginning to rumble, and he knew it was lasagne tonight. His first kiss hadn’t been as complicated as this. It had been sweet and simple, even though he’d been a bag of nerves that night too, but the other boy had made him feel so relaxed and special. They hadn’t lasted but Noah still looked back on that night fondly.

And then it hit him.

That’s what he needed to do for Cody. Even if the circumstances were a bit odd, this was still someone’s first kiss he was taking. This was something Cody would maybe remember forever, and Noah felt like he had to do it right, not just a half-assed peck and be on his way.

“Okay.” He said softly, putting a hand on Cody’s shoulder so that he would tilt his head to face Noah’s properly. “Probably helps if you close your eyes.”

“Ri-right.” Cody stammered and complied, breathing lightly, his whole body leaning in towards Noah now.

He was close enough for Noah to be able to count the freckles on his nose he’d never noticed before, and how fluttery his eyelashes were. Something in his chest twinged at the sight of Cody like this, although he hadn’t had that feeling before around the other boy. They were just friends.

Noah closed the distance between their lips, a gentle press of a kiss only. He felt Cody gasp against his mouth, and a shock ran through Noah’s body upon hearing that. Cody returned his mouth to Noah’s, copying the pressure that Noah had began with, his fingers dancing erratically against Noah’s wrist when Noah began to move his lips, the rhythm changing. He continued, before he remembered he had to breathe eventually, pulling away from Cody slowly and taking in some air.

Cody finally opened his eyes and blinked sleepily at Noah. The lamp at the dock was the only light now, the sky above them twinkling with constellations and inky black sky. The ocean beneath them was the colour of onyx and mostly still, only gentle sighs of waves slashing against the posts. As far as places for first kisses went, Cody had picked a pretty romantic spot.

“I like boys.” Cody announced, making them both erupt into laughter.

“So, it was ok?” Noah, ever the overachiever, wanting to know that he’d done well.

“It was awesome!” Cody beamed at him. “Thanks so much, Noah. I know you didn’t have to do that.”

Noah shrugged at that. “What can I say, I just have to convert everyone on this island to the LGBT cause, one kiss at a time.” He joked, but he was flattered that it seemed Cody had at least enjoyed it. It probably would have been pretty awkward between them if he hadn’t.

The pair lapsed into silence, both staring out to the horizon, trying to make out the other islands in the archipelago. Cody hadn’t moved away yet, his knees almost in Noah’s lap, close enough that Noah felt him shiver when a breeze filtered through the air.

“Cold?” Noah didn’t know when his voice had dipped so quiet.

“Mm a bit.” Cody admitted, only in a T-shirt.

Noah looked down to his waist, where his hoodie was wrapped around him. Would it be weird to let Cody wear it?

“Here, I’m fine.” Noah decided it was better than letting his friend freeze to death, unwrapping the hoodie and handing it to Cody.

“Thanks.” Cody unzipped it and snuggled into the soft material in seconds, still flush against Noah’s side. “Would it be strange if I asked if we could do that again? Like, see what making out is like?” He braved.

Noah let out a laugh at that. He’d already kissed the guy; would it really make much more of a difference if they smooched some more.

Cody had gotten the wrong idea from that though. “We don’t have to!” He said, flustered. “Sorry, asking too much aha!”

“It’s fine.” Noah grinned at him, feeling braver than he’d felt this whole summer. “We can kiss some more. Gotta give you lessons, huh?” He tilted Cody’s chin up, and this time Cody leant forward first with a smile, eagerly kissing Noah.

They continued, and Noah quickly lost track of time. They stopped and started, tongues darting between them, with Noah giving pointers occasionally, slow down, not so wet, don’t open your mouth so wide. But as a whole, Cody turned out to be a fast learner. And a natural it seemed, as he slid a hand up and down Noah’s bare arm, fingers dipping under the hem of his sleeve, and making Noah moan when he bit Noah’s bottom lip. Noah hadn’t noticed when the kiss had deepened so much, Cody’s legs draped over his own lap, his own traitorous hand on the bare skin above Cody’s knee where his swimming shorts had ridden up during their making out. 

A creak from the boardwalk behind them shocked them both, Cody practically falling backwards out of Noah’s lap. Noah caught the other before he fell into the sea, but Cody’s left flip-flop didn’t have the same luck, splashing into the waves. A girly giggle came from behind them and was getting closer.

Noah turned his head to look at Cody, taking in the sight of his full, kiss-bruised lips and messy hair. He knew he probably looked a state as well. Cody brought his fingers to his own lips, as if he were only just waking up from the dreamy session, a miniscule smile on his face. Noah returned it, glad that it seemed Cody wasn’t regretting their kissing.

“Woah, what are you two doing here?” Geoff’s carefree voice made them both shift apart even further as the blonde couple stepped around the canoes and came into view.

“Uh…” Noah’s brain hadn’t caught up yet. He knew what this looked like.

“Uhm.” Cody seemed at a loss for words too.

“I think they were fishing, baby.” Bridgette said, nudging her boyfriend to look at some reels that were a few feet away from Noah. He hadn’t even noticed they were there.

“Oh sweet, catch anything good?” Geoff was so gullible sometimes.

“Er, no.” Noah caught on quick to the line that Bridgette had thrown for them. “Nothing good tonight so we were just shooting the breeze instead.” He nudged Cody who still appeared to be in a kiss-drenched stupor. “Right Code-ster?”

“Uh, yeah!” Cody said. “What time is it?”

“Like, nearly nine dudes!” Geoff laughed.

“Oh crap, I missed dinner.” Noah groaned at that.

“If we run now, we might be able to sneak something from the kitchens.” Cody stood up shakily, pulling Noah up with him.

“Nice hoodie Cody.” Bridgette smirked at them, making Cody blush. She was far to observant for Noah’s liking sometimes.

“Aw, you think so? I’ve got the exact same one, but in blue!” Geoff interrupted. “Catch you later guys!” He called after the two boys as they quickly walked back along the dock towards the glow of the house, Cody hopping about oddly when his one bare foot hit a damp patch or some spiky shell. 

Noah turned back to see Bridgette give them a knowing wave, them immediately attach her face to Geoff’s own. They flopped down behind the cover of the canoes, canoodling in seconds, and Noah might have felt a pang of jealousy if he hadn’t been doing just that with the cute brunette a few steps ahead of him. Cody looked back at him, and they both broke into a fit of giggles, and walked back towards the kitchens.

Cody hadn’t said it aloud, but Noah felt that what had just happened between them was going to be a one-time thing. He knew that if he thought about the sweet taste of Cody’s mouth or how good it had felt to have the shorter boy in his lap, he knew he’d want more. It was just going to be a one-time thing, not become a habit. And just like how Noah knew he had a habit of eating the whole chocolate bar when he said he’d only have a row; he broke that promise to himself. Because Noah knew he sucked at breaking habits.

\------------

Noah should have seen it coming, really.

It was the first night after the final episode of Total Drama Island, and Chris had graciously dropped everyone back off at the resort, Gwen and Owen included this time. Well, more he and chef had slammed the boat into the sand banks by the docks and had given Tyler a concussion. Even though Owen had promised everyone a huge party when he won, they still had planned one last blow out before they all went home. Although Noah usually wasn’t one for parties, he was enjoying this one.

“And then those brownies man! You should have tried one!” Owen gushed about the baked goods that had won him his money while he was slumped next to Noah at the poolside.

“I would have, if you hadn’t eaten them all!” Noah poked his friend in the stomach good-heartedly. The big guy deserved the money.

“So what have I missed while I was still at camp?” Owen sat up, nudging Noah. “What’s the gossip, who did you hook up with? Huh, huh?” Owen ribbed him, failing at winking and moving his elbows at the same time.

“No-one!” Noah protested, feeling his skin redden at the suggestion.

Although he and Cody were as normal as ever with each other, they hadn’t kissed since that night a couple of weeks ago, and neither had brought it up either. It had gone unsaid, but both had just accepted that it was something they weren’t going to tell anyone else of what had happened either. Cody had gotten his results from the experience that he needed, and Noah had had a good time.

That was it, over and done with.

Finito.

Nothing more to say.

Owen nudged Noah again, harder this time, as the Indian boy had gotten distracted. On the other side of the pool, Cody had the microphone from the karaoke machine in one hand, and a cup of something in his other (nobody is believing that it’s just punch Geoff, seriously _)._

_“IT STARTED OUT WITH A KISS; HOW DID IT END UP LIKE THIS, IT WAS ONLY A KISS, IT WAS ONLY A KISS.”_ Cody was belting out the well-known Killers song, surprisingly fairly in tune.

“Aw, he’s having so much fun.” Owen had caught Noah staring.

Noah was trying to stifle a laugh when Cody looked across the pool and caught his eye, winking cheekily as he carried on singing.

“Did he just wink at us?” Owen asked, but didn’t hesitate to cheer the other on while Noah covered his mouth with his hands, almost in hysterics now.

_“But she’s touching his chest now, he takes off her dress now, let me gooo~”_ Cody playfully batted at Trent’s bare chest who was dancing next to him, with Gwen on Cody’s other side giggling away. Cody met Noah gaze again at that move, making Noah blush harder.

Trent and Gwen joined in with the chorus, all three of them singing with full might and Noah had to look away at last as Owen had pulled him to his feet to drag them both over to the singers.

“ _And I just can’t look, it’s killing me ~”_ Cody sang as Noah was shoved roughly by Owen to stand inches away from the smaller boy.

The instrumental had kicked in and Cody bobbed happily, Noah attempting to sway in time without looking like an idiot.

“Like this!” Cody pushed the microphone into Trent’s hand for him to finish the song and took a firm grip on Noah’s hips, shoving them in an attempt to make him move in tune with Cody.

“I can’t, It’s too funny!” Noah felt like he’d inhaled laughing gas or been around Izzy for too many hours, because right now he felt euphoric, and ridiculous all at the same time, but he didn’t care, not when Cody hadn’t moved his hands away, dancing along with him.

The song ended with a whoop from Owen, and a scream from Izzy. Noah hadn’t even noticed that she’d turned up to spin Owen into the pool. Noah was breathless and giddy, but Cody’s hands were still warm against his waist. If anyone had actually been paying attention to them, it probably would have looked pretty weird, but all the other teens were lost in their fun, not caring about the two nerds having a dance.

“We need to work on your dancing, my man.” Cody chuckled up at him before finally relaxing his hold on Noah.

“Nah. I don’t dance.” Noah shrugged with a smirk.

“Oh my god.” Cody burst into laughter when he noticed Owen stuck in one of the inflatable donuts.

Noah turned to look at his friend and joined in, helping his hefty pal out of the plastic and back onto the side. When he glanced back to Cody, the other had been snatched up by Leshawna and Gwen, taken to get another drink, and just like that, the moment was gone. 

“He was totally winking at you.” Owen mock-whispered into Noah’s ear, and Noah didn’t bother to dignify that with an answer.

As far as parties went, that one had been pretty fun. Noah found himself flat out on his and Owen’s shared bedroom floor, cackling away with Owen and DJ about Heather’s lack of hair and how karma had come to bite her in the ass at last, when there was a knock at his door.

“Come in!” The door was unlocked, and Noah was pretty comfy down there. As long as it wasn’t a staff member that had come to tell them to shut up, he wasn’t too fussed with who it could be.

“Hey, it sounded fun in here, can I join?” To his delight, it was Cody.

“Sure.” Noah sat up to welcome the new guest. “We were just about to crank up Smash Bros if he want to play?”

“When do I _not_ want to play!” Cody flopped down onto the floor beside Noah, snagging one of his red liquorice vines in the process. “Dibs on Kirby.”

“Kirby?!” DJ howled from behind them on the bed. “Man, course you play as Kirby.”

“Kirby’s good!” Cody protested, letting Noah drop the controller into his lap while Owen started up the console. “Don’t know what you’re missing dude!”

They played a few rounds, until DJ called it quits, stifling a yawn and trudging out the door to his bedroom, cradling Bunny as the others called out a goodnight to him.

A few more rounds and it was Owens turn to begin to falter, eyes drooping with each match.

“Dude, just go to sleep.” Noah said to the other.

Owen agreed, mumbling his good nights and slamming himself face first down onto his bed. He didn’t even get under the covers before he was out like a light, snoring away.

“Should probably head back too.” Cody stretched while Noah switched off the machine. “See if Harold will let me back in, or if he’s too busy with Leshawna.” Cody smirked, as if Harold had actually scored with the gorgeous girl and it wasn’t all in his head.

“Kay.” Noah didn’t protest, but he didn’t actually want Cody to go.

He wasn’t even all that tired, and something felt off between him and Cody right now, now that it was just the two of them, something he couldn’t place. It didn’t feel bad, just strange.

“Kay.” Cody repeated, sitting up on his knees but not standing up.

“Actually, if you’re not tired, wanna go chat shit by the pool?” Noah offered, taking a chance. “Don’t wanna wake Owen.” He lied, knowing they could probably hold a piñata party and it still wouldn’t wake the other.

“Sure!” Cody beamed at him, like he’d been waiting for an invite, bouncing to his feet and following Noah out the door.

When they made it to the poolside, Noah was secretly grateful that the place was deserted. Bottles and other junk still lay around, but from the sound of cheering and music pumping from further down the hill, it sounded like the party stragglers had moved on down to the shore. Noah dropped gracelessly into one of the pool lounger chairs, while Cody sat himself a few feet away from him at the poolside, dipping his feet into the water.

“Is it weird that I don’t want to go home?” Cody asked, his voice quiet and forlorn.

Noah squinted at his friend, taking in the wavery light reflecting from the pool onto Cody’s face. It was almost as if he was sparkling. Noah mulled over the question. Truthfully, he was eager to get home and see his family again and get back to normality. But he got what Cody meant, there were aspects of this trip that had been a plus and he would miss at least a little bit. Cody being one of them.

“Nah.” Noah answered. “What are you going to miss?”

“All this fun!” Cody giggled. “Parties, just singing karaoke and eating good food by a pool. I’m not going to miss Chris or his crazy challenges, or Chef’s food.” He grimaced.

“Urgh, me neither.” Noah groaned at the memory.

“But mostly I’m just going to miss having friends I can talk to every day.” Cody swung his legs gently, his back to Noah.

“What about your friends back home?” Noah had heard him mention a couple of names, but now that he thought about it, it wasn’t often and a lot of them were online friends if he remembered correctly.

Cody shrugged at that. “They’re ok, but they’re not like Gwen or Trent or Beth. Actually I could list loads of people I’ll miss.” Noah was a little miffed to not hear himself mentioned, as egotistical as that made him feel. He’d thought Cody had enjoyed hanging with him.

“I think I might miss you the most though.”

Oh, ok, that was even better, Noah would take that.

“Don’t be a dork.” Noah let out a small laugh. “We’ll still talk all the time. Maybe we can save up and visit each other during vacation?” As much as he wanted to be able to visit Cody regularly, they lived on either end of the country, so a quick weekend meetup wasn’t in the cards for them.

“Yeah, that would be nice.” Cody tilted his head to look back at Noah, a look of serenity and contentment on his face.

“Here, come type your number in.” Noah had fished his mobile phone out of his pocket. He already had Cody’s email and myspace account written in his notebook upstairs, but he wanted to be able to call the guy too.

Cody scuttled over to Noah’s chair, wedging himself in by Noah’s hip and the armrest, hardly enough room for the pair of them without touching. He tapped in his number, then handed his own phone for Noah to do the same. When the numbers were exchanged and phones were pocketed again, Cody still didn’t move. Noah didn’t ask him to either.

“Who are you going to miss?” Cody asked.

“Fishing for compliments huh?” Noah joked.

“No!” Cody protested. “Maybe…”

“Ha, well I’ll admit you’re very cool to hang with, so definitely you and all your nerdiness. Izzy and Eva as well. DJ and Geoff for definite.”

“What about Owen? I thought you guys were close?” Cody questioned.

“Yeah, he might be my best friend here.” Noah admitted. “But I’m not going to miss him, because I’ll still see him all the time. Turns out we live in the same city; we just go to different high schools.”

“Oh lucky!” Cody sounded genuinely happy for him, not jealous. “I wish I lived in a city; my town is pretty small.”

“Maybe you’ll live in one eventually.” Noah encouraged.

“Mm hopefully.” Cody sighed. “I think Gwen is the one who lives closest to me, about 100 miles away I think?”

“See, you can take a bus to see her occasionally.” Noah was trying to keep Cody in a happy mood. “What’s going on with that, did you get anywhere when you talked to her earlier?”

Before the party from earlier, Noah had seen Cody disappearing down to the beach with Gwen, likely to see where he stood with her. They’d seemed friendly enough at the party, dancing together and hugging plenty, but Noah had also seen the way that Gwen had been looking at Trent, so he had his doubts that Gwen had returned Cody’s feelings.

“Yeah we talked.” Cody said. “I don’t have a chance in hell!” He laughed lightly at that. “But that’s ok. Trent’s a really cool guy, so I don’t really mind losing to him. If it had been someone like Duncan, I’d be a bit more upset.” He pulled a face at that, Noah joining in on the laugh. “But yeah, we’re fine. She wants to be friends, and so do I. It was a lesson, that’s all.”

Noah had to commend the guy for being so cool about being rejected. It was pretty mature of him really, plenty of guys their age would have sulked for a week, but Cody still seemed pleased with the outcome.

“I mean, who doesn’t want more friends!”

“True.” Noah agreed. “I’m happy with the amount I have though, too much work trying to keep track of hundreds of people’s lives, I have no idea how Geoff does it.”

Cody nodded in agreement at that, resting his elbow on his knees, his chin in his hands.

And there it was again, that strange aura between them that Noah had felt earlier. It seemed to happen when they were alone and silent together. Like something was going unsaid between them, but Noah couldn’t figure out what.

“So you’re not bitter?” He just had to say something, anything, to make this odd energy between them go away. He wondered if Cody was picking up on it too.

“Nah.” Cody smiled distantly. Then he shuffled his body in even closer to Noah’s, bringing his legs up onto the deck chair, pressed up against Noah’s. He wiggled until he was laying on his side, flush against Noah from the shoulders down. “This ok?” Cody whispered, a hint of nerves in his voice.

Noah thought that this was getting into dangerous territory, to what he vowed to himself that he wouldn’t do. That he wasn’t going to make this a habit. If anyone walked over right now, there would be no way to explain why two male friends were snuggled together in one chair, as close as they could get, with skin touching everywhere. Noah glanced down to Cody, who’s head was almost leaning against Noah’s shoulder, the brunette blinking his bright teal eyes up at Noah with hope.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” Noah whispered back. He couldn’t bring himself to move, or to shove Cody off. In fact, his traitorous body had dropped his arm so that Cody could lean against his chest, Noah’s arm draped around Cody’s back.

“Kay.” Cody said simply, still staring up at Noah, making the slightly taller boy blush from the intense gaze.

Now he knew what the feeling was between them. It was electricity. That night at the dock had flipped the switch and set off every want and nerve in Noah, and like an itch to scratch. He wanted to kiss Cody again, just one last taste, one last hit. Noah knew they were good friends, that he didn’t want to date Cody, but _god,_ did he want to kiss him right now.

“Probably our last proper night here as well.” Cody continued. “Probably won’t see you again for a few months.” His voice was lilted, teasing, as if he was waiting for Noah to take the bait.

“Yeah.” Was all Noah could say. For once, the sass-master was at a loss for words. He had no idea how Cody of all people was able to do this to him.

“I don’t think there’s any guys for me to kiss in my town.” Cody fluttered his eyelashes.

“Oh.” Noah was hanging on by a thread, trying to convince himself to have some restraint.

“Guess we should make the most of your boy-kissing chances while we can then.”

And there it went, Noah’s last fibre of control, as Cody smirked up at him, and Noah dipped his face to catch those lips with his own.

Unlike the first kiss, Cody lead, more confidence in himself this time and sucking lightly on Noah’s lip and tongue, mapping out the inside of Noah’s mouth with his lithe tongue. Noah sat back and let Cody take the reins, his hand stroking lightly up and down Cody’s bony back. The kiss was slow and lazy, as if they were drifting off to sleep, lost in each other.

Cody shifted in the seat, first swinging a leg over Noah’s own. But the kiss deepened, the tempo picking up and Noah’s breath was getting lighter as Cody’s fingers traced patterns on the back of his neck. Before either of them knew it, Cody had sat up and swung his leg over Noah’s, straddling the other with his hands cupping Noah’s cheeks. They were both panting lightly into each other’s mouths, Noah’s hand on the back of Cody’s head, stroking through his soft hair and the other dangerously low on Cody’s back.

Noah could feel the heat pooling in his stomach, the magnetic want accelerating between their bodies as Cody began to move in his lap, like how he’d been dancing earlier, hips swaying gently up and down, and Noah felt like he was on fire.

“We…” Noah broke the kiss, knowing where this was going. As much as it was driving him wild, and he wanted nothing more than to flip their positions and ravish Cody right there on an ugly plastic pool lounger, he knew it was getting out of hand. “We need to stop. Going too fast.” He panted.

Cody leant back, still perched lightly on Noah’s thighs, but he understood.

“Yeah, you’re right.” He ran a hand through his hair, breathing hard. “Sorry, got a bit too into it there, huh?”

“S’okay.” Noah smiled lazily up at him, drinking in the sight of a flushed and blissed-out Cody. “But we should probably head back in.” Always the voice of reason. “I’ll walk you back.”

Cody eased himself off of Noah, and the pair walked back into the resort. Although they didn’t speak, the shaky air that had been between them earlier was gone. Instead, Noah just felt sleepy and content, Cody looking half-asleep beside him. Cody’s room was the closest, that he shared with Harold, and they made their way to the lift. Once inside, Cody kissed him quickly once more before the doors opened, and Noah linked their fingers together.

It didn’t have to mean anything, Noah told himself.

Cody wished him good night, before unlocking his door and stepping inside. Noah had only made it a few steps before he heard a yelp from the other side of the door and raised voices. He paused in his walking as Cody quickly reappeared then slammed the door behind himself, his face as red as a tomato.

“Uh, what?”

Cody turned to look at him. “Eh, apparently Harold has more game than we thought.” He began to laugh uncontrollably. “Would it be ok if I crashed on the sofa in your room tonight?” Noah nodded and began to laugh too at the thought of whatever Harold and Leshawna were currently getting up to.

“Dude, you don’t need to sleep on the sofa.” Noah said as they entered his room. “Share with me, if you’re cool with that?”

“Yeah, course.” Cody grinned at him. “But just sleeping, yeah?”

“Obviously.” Noah rolled his eyes and tilted his head to the snoring Owen. At least he’d moved himself under the covers at last. “Hope you can handle this lawn-mower.” Noah went to his chest of drawers and found a shirt and shorts, tossing them to Cody. “If you want something better to sleep in.”

“Thanks.” Cody immediately began changing while Noah averted his eyes and climbed into his own plush bed.

“You forget that I shared a cabin with Owen and his snores too. I can handle it.” Cody said as he slipped on one of Noah’s hoodies, the one he’d borrowed before. “I get cold easy.” He stated defensively.

“It’s fine.” Noah felt the drowsiness kicking in as soon as his head hit the pillow, even with Cody slipping under the covers and laying down beside him. “G’night.” He yawned.

“Night Noah.” Cody murmured, pressing a ghost of a kiss to Noah’s forehead. “Thanks for everything.”

“No problem.” Noah smiled and drifted off to sleep, his hand linked with Cody’s under the covers.

Noah awoke with a start as a loud ringing erupted from nearby.

“What the hell is that?!” He sat up with a jolt, feeling Cody fall off of him and bounce onto the mattress at his side.

“Wha…?” Cody wiped the drool from his mouth and pushed his face into the pillow, but the ringing continued.

“Think it’s Chris, wants us all to come downstairs.” Owen said from his spot on the sofa. “It’s nearly lunchtime dude, you missed breakfast!”

“Did you bring me back any?” Noah glared at him, swinging his legs over the bed and standing.

“No…”

“It’s what time?!” Cody sprung from the bed, and only then did Noah grasp that Cody was there, in his clothes, with mussed up hair and sleepy eyes. Cody glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. “Oh shit, I was supposed to meet Gwen like 20 minutes ago!”

Within seconds Cody had stripped off the pyjamas and had dressed himself in his own shirt and jeans, lacing up his sneakers while Noah went rooting in his bag for a granola bar, still hardly awake. Owen eyed the pair of them with wonder but didn’t say anything.

“Catch ya later guys, thanks for letting me crash here Noah.” Cody grinned and waved to the two boys, and was out the door in a flash, eager to get to Gwen.

“So…” Owen was twiddling his thumbs and smirking at Noah while he crunched on the oat bar. “Something you wanna tell me?”

“Nothin’ happened.” Noah lied between bites.

“Suuuuure.” Owen wasn’t convinced. “I took a picture of how you guys were sleeping; it was just so cute!” Owen made his way to Noah, showing him the screen of his digital camera.

There, Noah was flat on his back, the covers to his waist and an arm on Cody’s back, as the gap-toothed boy had resumed his newfound favourite position, laying on his front, completely on top of Noah with his face tucked into the crook of Noah’s neck.

“Heh? Heh?” Owen bumped their shoulders together, overjoyed at catching his best friend in bed with someone.

Noah chewed on the breakfast bar some more, staring at the picture. It stirred something inside him, but he didn’t want to dwell on it.

“Send me that when we get home.”

\------------ 

Noah was empty handed, still.

Even after the mad dash around the island for a second chance at winning a million dollars, he’d still lost. He doesn’t even get to participate in the next season!

So Noah found himself on the plane home with Owen snoring next to him. At least they’d all lost, it wasn’t such a kick in the face that way.

Everyone had a couple of weeks to go home and get some new clothes, see their families, and Noah could update his reading pile at last. Then they would be back on the plane for another long-ass flight to Toronto. Vancouver was a pretty cool place to live but being from the West Coast wasn’t ideal for the amount of travelling Noah had to do for this stupid show. He didn’t even want to go really; he didn’t see the point in just being there to watch it from a studio when his new term of school was starting soon. He’d be having to do course work in a hotel room, and Noah hoped this wouldn’t affect his grades too much.

Damn contracts.

“Noah! Noah!” Owen was already at the airport with his family, the day they were heading back to Toronto. How the blond guy had so much energy at 5am was a mystery to Noah.

“Hey.” Noah yawned, flopping down into the seat while their parents greeted each other. “Is the Starbucks open yet? I need coffee.”

“Aw, we can go check!” Owen was dragging him to his feet and towards the café in the terminal, leaving their families to chat. “Are you excited Noah?” Owen was practically buzzing beside him in the queue.

“No, I’ve had Starbucks before.”

“I meant for the new show, silly!” Owen giggled, not picking up on Noah’s sarcasm. “I am!”

“I know you are, at least you’re competing.” Noah rolled his eyes.

They’d spent plenty of time together when they’d gotten home and chatted online with some of the others. He hadn’t expected it, but Owen was turning out to be one of his best friends ever, he felt closer to the dude than he did with some of the boys he’d known in school for ten years.

“It’s just going to be weeks of boring drama when I actually need to be studying this year. I’m trying to graduate early, remember? Not sit on a sofa with some blabby talk show host.” Noah payed for their drinks, waving his hand absently, trying to show how little he cared about Total Drama right now.

“Awwww but you get to see Cody again, remember?” Owen smirked, nudging him.

“Shut up! I don’t care about that.” Noah blushed.

“You doooo~” Owen teased. “And since you guys aren’t competing, you’ll have all the time in the world to hang out, eh?”

“Not listening.”

“But you guys were getting so close!” Owen was having the time of his life embarrassing Noah. “I know you kissed, it’s so obvious!”

“I’m not telling you if I kissed Cody or not!” Noah said, his voice strained.

“You kissed Cody? Ohhh sweetie, you didn’t tell me that!” Noah froze at the sound of his mother’s voice. He hadn’t noticed their families had came over to the Starbucks too.

“Didn’t! Owen’s just being stupid.” Noah was hiding his face in his hands. If the floor could just swallow him up alive right now, that would be great.

“He did.” Owen mock whispered to Noah’s mom, Chandra, and the pair of them shared a giggle.

“Urgh just kill me now.” Noah grabbed his drink from the poor barista and stalked off from the others to one of the sofas.

“Noaah, it’s ok!” His mother had followed him, sitting next to him, and fiddling with his mop of hair. “I want to meet him, is he cute?”

Noah didn’t answer, taking a sip from his coffee and glaring over to Owen. He wasn’t going to hear the end of this now. Owen was gonna get it when they got on the plane.

“Noaaaaahhh.” He loved his mother, but sometimes she was too invested in his life and relationships. He knew she just wanted to be supportive and loving, she was like this with all his siblings too, but god, sometimes it was embarrassing.

“Yeah he’s cute.” He mumbled eventually. “But we’re not dating! Don’t listen to Owen.”

His mother looked at him with her eyebrows raised, seeming unconvinced. “But you did kiss him?”

“…maybe.”

“Then now you can go back and ask him on a date!” His mom hugged him. “Ah he’s the one with the gap in his teeth, right?” Noah nodded. “Oh, he was cute, much cuter than your last boyfriend, well done baby!”

“Again, not dating.” Noah reiterated. “We are literally just friends, who shared a kiss. No big deal.”

“Just be yourself, he’ll want to date you in no time! My boy is a catch!” Yep, she wasn’t taking any of this in.

At least the awkward conversation was interrupted by the tannoy announcing that they could begin going through baggage control for the flight to Toronto.

Later, as Noah settled down in his seat by the window, Owen poked him in arm. They hadn’t even made it off the runway yet and the guy was ready to pester him.

“Sorry ‘bout that with your mom, I just got really excited. I didn’t know she was there either.” He confessed.

“It’s fine.” Noah replied. “She’d been badgering me if I’d met anyone when I came home anyway.”

“She knows your gay right? I didn’t just out you, did I?” Owen looked so worried and Noah was very tempted to mess with him, but one look at his puppy-dog eyes made Noah realise that would be too much of a dick move, even for him.

“Yeah, she’s known for ages, don’t worry. All you did was set off the crazy mom setting. She’s probably going to try and add Cody on myspace as soon as she gets home now.”

Owen sighed in relief, and Noah went back to his book. It was a long flight ahead of them and as much as he loved the big guy, he did want some peace and quiet. Not long after, Owen was snoring beside him, his head resting on Noah’s shoulder, when Noah’s brain started to mess with him.

It’s true that his mother was probably going to look up Cody, and there’s nothing he could do to stop her, but he knew she likely wouldn’t get a response.

He hadn’t.

For all Cody’s big talk on wanting to stay friends and how much he was going to miss Noah, he hadn’t said a word to him yet. Noah had sent the friends request, as well as an email saying hi, but had had no answer at all. He knew he’d given the right contact information. He’d had friends requests from all the other contestants, even one’s he hadn’t particularly liked such as Justin or Duncan. But zilch from the guy he’d kissed twice. A part of him was pissed off at Cody, for making him feel embarrassed and stupid, but mostly he just felt hurt. He genuinely wanted to be friends with the guy, and he thought after everything, Cody had too.

But maybe the kissing had been too much. That as soon as Cody had gotten home, he’d regretted everything and didn’t want anything to do with Noah ever again. Noah tried to push the thought from his mind, telling himself he was just overreacting and not to be such a baby, but the feeling of rejection still lingered. Why the hell did he have to go back to Toronto again?!

\------------

As per usual, everything was a mess.

Noah had been here at the hotel suite for less than half an hour, and already he’d seen Owen eat a whole tray of Nanaimo bars, proceed to throw them up, Justin hold up the metal tray to stare at himself, Eva crush Ezekiel like a bug and apparently Lindsay still didn’t have a clue who Tyler was. Must have really hit her head hard during Island. Noah was only glad nothing was on fire yet.

Scratch that, Izzy had found napkins and Duncan’s lighter.

“Gwen’s here! Oh girl, get over here!” Lashawna’s bounded over to greet her friend and Noah turned to watch the goth girl walk into the room and be pushed to the floor with a bear hug from both Leshawna and Bridgette.

“Get in on this too, Stringbean!” Only then did Noah notice that Gwen hadn’t arrived alone.

Noah faltered in his argument about squirrels with Howard when Cody entered, shyly joining in the group hug with the other girls, and now Trent and Owen too.

“You ok?” Harold had noticed.

“Yeah, just having to stop and start every five minutes because there’s so many of us. Getting a bit much.” Noah lied.

“Oh yeah I guess.” Howard didn’t catch on to the real reason that Noah had frozen up.

Noah was unsure what to do, he wasn’t used to feeling so confused on what he should be doing. Should he give Cody the cold shoulder? Should he go over and hug the guy like the others? No way, he’d look like a fool if he did that. Best option was to stand there like a deer in the headlights.

Cody looked up, his face tinged pink from all the affection, and from being smooshed in Bridgette’s shoulder, his eyes searching the room for the Indian boy. His gaze landed on Noah by the tables, sitting with Harold and doing his best to look nonchalant.

Noah’s heart was hammering, and his head felt like it was full of fog as he watched Cody extract himself from the happy group and make his way over to Noah and Harold. His mouth felt dry and full of cotton balls, the words stuck in his throat, when the cheerful boy greeted them, Harold clapping him on the back and the pair of them laughing.

“Hey Noah!” Cody smiled at him like he hadn’t just blown Noah off for two weeks straight.

“He…hi.” Noah mumbled, unable to decide how he should be with Cody right now. He didn’t want to be weird, especially around Harold, but he was really struggling right now.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Cody blinked at him, and Noah’s heart sank. This was going to be the ‘actually, I think what we did was weird and I’d rather you never talked to me again’ discussion. Noah wasn’t prepared for that.

“Sure…” He knew it was better to get it out of the way early.

Noah eased himself off of the edge of the table, waving a quick goodbye to Harold. Cody lead the way out of the room, towards the balcony of the hotel suite. Owen shot them a thumbs up as they passed him, Cody thankfully not noticing while Noah quickly shot Owen down with a shake of his head and a glare.

Noah breathed in a blast of the crisp air when he stepped outside. Fall was really on its way. The day had been hot, but the temperature had dropped with the sunset. Cody stood at his side, arms leaning on the bar of the balcony, staring out at the city skyline. If Noah didn’t feel sick with nerves, he might have appreciated the view a bit more.

“I can’t believe we’re back here already.” Cody spoke first.

“Same.” Noah was trying to be polite, but his answer was clipped and curt, still pissed at Cody.

“You alright?” Cody had picked up on the tone.

“Yeah, just tired.” Noah shrugged. That was true at least.

“Guess that’s not surprising. Mine and Gwen’s flight was a lot shorter than yours!”

That tension was back between them, like the night of the party. But this time it felt awkward, not electric, and Noah felt that most of that aura was coming from him at this point, what with Cody trying so hard to act cheerful. But Noah could see the way his shoulders were tense, his fingers tapping on the metal bar.

“So what did you want to talk about? I’m getting cold.” Noah knew he sounded harsh, but he’d just spent two weeks agonising over why his new friend hadn’t said a word to him, then here was Cody, trying to make stupid small talk and smile at Noah like everything was ok.

“You’re really mad at me, huh?” The smile was gone, replaced with furrowed brows and downturned lips.

Noah didn’t answer at first, staring out to the skyscrapers and parks in front of them. He felt Cody shift awkwardly beside him, waiting on an answer. “No.”

“You are, I can tell.”

Noah shrugged at that. What was he supposed to say? He didn’t want to sound so desperate.

“I brought you out here because I wanted to talk to you about that. Before anyone else.” Cody edged closer, pushing his bony elbow into Noah’s own.

“It’s fine, seriously. I’m not too hung up about it, I had my own stuff going on too.” Noah wanted this to be over, to go back inside and drink too much soda then crash out and pretend his quick fling with Cody had never happened.

“God, can you just let me talk?” Cody had the nerve to actually sounded pissed at him now. “Can you look at me?” Noah obeyed with reluctance, turning his head to face Cody’s own. Even though he knew he should move back a bit, their faces were too close for just two bros’, but Noah stayed. He wasn’t going to be the first to break down.

“Go ahead.” He sighed.

“I didn’t mean to blow you off, I promise.” Cody began. “I got home, and my parents were so pissed off at me. Like, screaming and locking me in my room angry.” He played with the cuff of his sleeve, but still kept his eyes locked with Noah’s own.

Noah hadn’t been expecting that. His parents had been overjoyed to see him; his mother had hugged him for five minutes straight as soon as he got off the plane.

“What?” He asked, stupidly.

“Just…” Cody lowered his gaze. “Just, I have a bit of an awkward relationship with my parents, always have. They were outraged that I hadn’t won, and that apparently I’d been so embarrassing to watch and the whole town was talking about it.”

“That’s…” Noah wasn’t sure how to answer. “That’s so shitty of them Cody, I’m sorry to hear that.” He lifted his arm tentatively, testing the waters. When Cody didn’t shy away, he placed his palm on Cody’s arm, trying to comfort him.

“It’s ok.” Cody shrugged but didn’t push Noah’s hand off. “What could you have done?”

Noah bit his lip. That was true, it would have been unlikely that he could have helped, but he still felt awful now.

“Did they hurt you?” He whispered. Cody seemed shaky and on edge, and all the anger and hurt that Noah had felt had melted away to be replaced with worry.

“No!” Cody replied, a little too high-pitched and quick to really quell Noah’s suspicions, but he didn’t push it. “But they did take away my computer and my phone, so I couldn’t message anyone, or call you at all.”

“That makes sense then, why I didn’t hear anything.” Noah felt even stupider now. He’d been so self-absorbed, thinking that it obviously had to have been about him that he hadn’t even truly considered another option. Hell, he hadn’t even asked Owen if he’d heard from Cody.

“They saw the ear-kiss.” Cody was back to looking at him with intent.

“Shit.” Noah wasn’t sure how to help him. “Did they see any of the others?”

“Don’t think so.” Cody knew they’d somehow managed to avoid both their kissing sessions being aired, but he knew that his parents had suspected his not-so-straightness for a while now, and seeing their son snuggle with a boy so freely on national TV while he slept had cemented it. “They’re pretty old fashioned, so that’s what they’re so angry about. I wasn’t going to be able to come here at all, until Chef actually turned up at my house with a copy of my contract and shoved me in the car with him.”

“Uhm. Good on Chef?” Noah was so confused if that was a good thing or not.

“Yeah.” Cody let out a quirky little laugh, quiet enough that Noah hardly heard it. “Guess I’ll just have to face the music when I get home again.” Noah felt a pit of dread in his stomach at that. Times like these made him so thankful for having a family like his, as overbearing and cringy as they could be at times.

“Hey, you can come stay at mine’s after if you want. Or Owen’s or something.” Noah rubbed Cody’s arm gently. “You don’t have to deal with their crap.” He knew his mom would take Cody in, no questions asked.

“Maybe.” Cody leaned forward, and Noah took the hint, wrapping his arms around the other, pulling Cody into a much-needed hug. “I’ll see what it’s like in a few weeks. But thanks Noah.” Cody’s voice was shaky, and Noah could feel the shirt over his collarbone getting wet, Cody was crying and trying to hide it.

“Hey….” Noah comforted. “Hey, it’ll be fine. You can get away from them soon, and the whole time we’re here, we’re gonna have fun and forget about stupid ignorant people, ok?” He gently pushed at Cody, pulling him off of himself so that he could cup Cody’s face and reassure him with a hesitant smile.

Cody rewarded him with a bigger smile than his last, wide enough that Noah could see his teeth and that adorable little gap between the front two. Noah rubbed a stray tear away as it slid down Cody’s puffy cheeks. For all the ways he’d imagined their reunion to be like, this hadn’t been one of the scenarios he’d pictured. Noah wasn’t sure who leant in first, maybe him, maybe Cody, but the next thing he knew, his lips were pressed softly against Cody’s.

This was another type of kiss he could add to their list now. There wasn’t anything behind it, no games or tests, it wasn’t fast and lustful like the others had become. Instead, Noah kept his mouth shut, only moving slightly, the kiss slow and feather light. He just wanted to make Cody feel better, nothing more.

“Dudes! Get your own makeout spot!”

Cody spun his head so fast, Noah worried that his neck would break when they heard Duncan’s scratchy, irritating voice from behind them. Duncan and Courtney had stepped out onto the balcony as well, and Noah was relieved to see that they’d at least shut the door behind themselves, the heavy curtain in the room obscuring them all from view from inside.

“We’re not making out.” Noah said simply, his hands still on Cody’s face.

“Don’t care.” Courtney pouted at them, more focused on sucking on Duncan’s neck.

“Don’t tell anyone, please?” Cody pleaded. Noah might have been a tad insulted at Cody’s immediate reaction to keep Noah a secret, but now that he knew how much was at stake for Cody, he didn’t mind too much.

“You two nerds think I care that much about you? Please, I have better things to be doing than spreading rumours of your hot gay fondling.” Duncan tightened his grip on Courtney’s waist, making her giggle. “Anyway, scram, or people will start to think you two are hooking up.” Duncan teased.

Neither of them had to be told twice, bolting back through the door and into the hotel room. Noah didn’t see much more of Cody that night, the other making the rounds in the party explaining to the others why he hadn’t accepted their friends request. Noah noticed that he withheld the part about his parents accusing Cody of being into boys, but he didn’t say a word.

“Are you guys ok now?” Owen asked him that night. They were sharing a hotel room until Owen left the next morning, to wherever the hell Chris was taking them next.

“Who?” Noah lay on his back in his bed, acting stupid.

“You and Cody, duh. I know you were worried about seeing him again.” For all of Owen’s stupid jokes and air-headedness, he was more observant than he let on, especially when it came to his friends. “Did you guys make up on the balcony.”

“We weren’t fighting to begin with.”

“Whatever, you just seem happier now.” The room was dark, so thankfully Owen wouldn’t be able to see Noah smile to himself at that. “Just…tell me all about it when I get back, kay bestie?”

“Will do buddy.” And Noah meant it. If there was anyone he trusted on this damn show and who would be good to confide in, Owen was definitely his top pick.

\------------

It was the fourth day of being in a hotel room with seven other losers when Bridgette and Geoff turned up. Every day the losers had to watch what had happened on the show, so they were up to date with what was going on. The few that hadn’t made it on the show had just finished watching the second episode, and that night Noah had drawn the short straw and it had been hosted in his room. He’d finally kicked everybody else out as they went to the foyer to greet the newly eliminated couple.

Geoff and Bridgette weren’t too hung up about being eliminated so quickly, and when Chris turned up to tell them that they would hosting an aftermath show with the loser’s as the peanut gallery, they were even less upset at leaving early.

“Party tonight dudes!” Geoff had whooped and ran off to get supplies.

“How’s it been here?” Bridgette had stuck around even after Courtney had said goodbye and chased after Geoff, yelling something about firework regulations.

“Pretty casual. Not much going on.” Noah shrugged. They spent a few hours each night watching the show together, but the days were pretty dull. He’d already finished two books.

“Yeah I guess it’ll get more interesting the more people get voted off.” Bridgette had sat next to him. “So, no more secret kissing with Cody?”

Noah flushed at her comment. He _knew_ she’d worked out what was going on at the docks!

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” He feigned innocence. Not just for himself, but for Cody’s sake mostly.

“Noah, I’m not an idiot, it was pretty obvious what you guys were doing.” He didn’t answer, pretending the room service menu was the most compelling thing he’d ever read. “And the first night we were here, the little welcome-back kiss on the balcony, I presume?”

“What of it? Hypothetically, if there had been any kissing, since I’m not saying there was.” Noah knew the jig was up, he just wanted to make sure that Bridgette wasn’t making fun of them. It didn’t seem in her nature, but you could never be sure with the people on this show.

“Nothing, just cute was all.” Bridgette smiled at him earnestly. “I take it it’s a secret relationship, since nobody else seems to know?”

“It’s not a relationship.” Noah figured, since she knew, he may as well have someone to talk to about this whole thing with Cody. “And Duncan and Courtney caught us on the balcony, but I doubt either of them care enough to say anything.”

“Hopefully.” Bridgette agreed.

“But yeah, we’re not dating or anything.” Bridgette’s little smile faltered, as if she was actually disappointed to hear that. “The thing on the docks, that was just Cody testing it out, if he liked guys or not.”

“Take it he does?” Bridgette’s cat-like grin returned.

“Yeah, but girls too.”

“Oh he’s bi? Me and Geoff are as well.”

That was news to Noah. If both the blonde’s weren’t taken, he might have told Cody to try with Geoff or something. “Oh, cool.”

“But the second kiss?” Bridgette urged.

“That was probably just the heat of the moment, last few nights on the island. Everyone else had been making out at the pool, figured we should get our kicks on while we could when it was quiet.” Then Noah cringed. Bridgette hadn’t known about that kiss; he could have just told her about the balcony.

“Was that after the win? I thought I saw you guys sitting there when we were down at the beach.” Ok, guess this girl saw everything. “Don’t worry, it was only me when I ran back to the hotel to pee at one point.” She reassured him. “Balcony? Or has there been more?”

“No, that was the most recent one. That was just because he was upset, and I wanted to make him feel good.” Noah shrugged. Really, there hadn’t been much of an excuse for that one. It seemed that they were running out of totally platonic and normal reasons to kiss each other. “Nothing to it.”

“So, it’s like friends with benefits? I think?”

“I guess?” Noah hadn’t really thought about it. He and Cody certainly hadn’t had the conversation.

“And you’re happy with that?” Bridgette was looking at Noah with pity, which was irking him the wrong way now. She was trying to suggest there was more to this than there actually was. It wasn’t that deep.

“Yeah? We’re just messing around.” Bridgette was still looking at him with her big, doe-y eyes.

“It seems more.” She persisted.

“This isn’t some chic flic.” Noah stood up, hearing voices coming along the hall towards them. “He doesn’t like me like that, and I don’t feel that way about him, it’s just some fun to pass the time. Sorry to disappoint the gossip session.” He rolled his eyes as her face feel even more at that comment.

“Noah…” She began, but Geoff decided that was the moment to bound back into the room like an over excited puppy.

“Bridge! You gotta help me set this stuff up, the hotel’s letting us use one of the function rooms, not just our bedroom! Let’s rock, wooo!” Bridgette shot Noah one last look of pity, as if she wanted to say more, then decided against it, following her boyfriend out of the room. 

\-----------

Tyler was the next one to host the nightly watch-a-thon. By this point, Noah was getting incredibly bored of the show, and it was only episode three. He just wanted to go home, get on with school and not feel like he was stuck in a limbo.

They were part way through, and Cody was sat next to Noah on the floor, his head in his hands. Guess the guy was as bored as Noah felt. They watched most of the unaired stuff too, so it wasn’t like it was just twenty minutes of Noah’s time. 

“Want to sneak off?” Noah whispered to him.

Cody took a quick glance around the room at the others. Katie and Sadie were busy squealing over Justin, Tyler was cheering Lindsay on and Eva was more interested in doing crunches than watching the TV. Courtney was on her phone and Bridgette and Geoff were making out on the bed behind them, unaware of Ezekiel sitting on the edge of the bed, watching them. Cody came to the same conclusion that Noah had; nobody would notice their absence. They’d find out who got kicked off soon anyway.

“My room?” Cody offered, his voice low.

Noah nodded, and the two of them snuck out the room, Noah stifling a giggle when he heard Geoff and Bridgette begin to yell at Ezekiel’s creeping as they shut the door softly behind them.

“I brought the Lord of the Rings trilogy with me, if you want to watch?” Cody said as they entered his room, Cody kicking off his shoes and pulling the DVD box from his suitcase.

“Regular or extended edition?” Noah teased.

“Extended, what do you take me for?” Cody smirked back. “Make yourself comfy, mi casa su casa or whatever the saying is.”

Noah slipped off his shoes and made himself comfortable on the massive bed, leaning back against the padded headboard. Cody got the TV going then done the same, sliding under the covers and pulling them over Noah’s lap as well.

Noah had seen these movies a hundred times, but it only took five minutes of Galadriel’s narrating to reel him in. While Merry and Pippin made a dragon firework fly over the shire, Cody prodded him with a liquorice twist, offering Noah a pick from Cody’s candy stash, then they were both hooked back into the film, watching the hobbits. By the time the Nazgul’s had stabbed empty beds at the Prancing Pony inn, a ruckus was going on outside in the hotel corridor.

“Is your door locked?” Noah asked.

“No.” Cody didn’t seem bothered about it, so Noah just left it at that, hearing high-pitched screaming and giggling. Man, the rest of the guests in the hotel must be the glad they had this floor to themselves.

Cody had dimmed the lights ‘for atmosphere’ when the Fellowship entered the Mines of Moria. The two of them were tense with excitement, knowing what was coming. Cody had nudged close enough for Noah to feel the twitchy anticipation radiating off the other.

“Noah!! You sure he’s in here Bridgette?”

The door swung open with ferocity, hard enough to make the pair of them jump.

“Why’s it so dark in here?” Izzy’s quizzically quirky tone was heard, and the two boys blinked at the sudden flash of light as the ginger amped the main light back up to max and shut the door behind her.

“Hey Izzy.” Noah was still fixed on the movie. Nothing came between him and a sweaty, fighting Aragorn on screen.

“Ohhh what are we watching?” Izzy flounced onto the bed without an invitation, snuggling up against Noah’s other side, pressing him harder into Cody. “Oh Tolkien, a fave!”

“Take it you got voted off.” Noah wasn’t going to tell her to leave, it was Cody’s room, not his. Cody leaned off of the bed to dim the lights again, also seemingly unfazed by his new guest’s sudden arrival.

“Yep!” Izzy cackled. “I’ll get Duncan, next time I see him.” Her voice went deep and cold, a shiver running down Noah’s back. He wouldn’t want to be the punk right now.

“Didn’t you watch the episode?” Her voice was back to normal, asking the two boys.

“Some of it, but we wanted to watch this instead. You can stay too if you want.” Cody answered, sliding himself back in under the sheets, not an inch of space between himself and Noah.

“Now shut up and watch.” Noah told the girl.

“Yessir!” Izzy saluted and kept her word, moving her attention to the fight on screen.

“Urgh, I’m calling it a night boys! Sooo sleepy!” Izzy yawned.

The credits were rolling, and Noah was trying to hold back his tears after watching Boromir’s death. It still got him, every time. Beside him, Cody had tears streaming down his face, less able to keep his emotions in check.

“Night Izzy.” He gulped, getting up as well.

“Night.” Noah said as Izzy bounced out the room. For someone who was so exhausted, she sure had a lot of energy. “Want me to head too?”

Truthfully, this was the first time they’d gotten to just hang out together since they got here, usually surrounded by others or just in their rooms alone. That, and Noah wasn’t tired in the least, he’d gotten up at lunchtime and it was barely 10pm.

“Huh?” Cody was too busy scooting about on his knees in front of the DVD player. “No, it’s cool, I was gonna put the next one on?” He held up the box for emphasis and Noah relaxed at that, that he didn’t feel like he was imposing or being too clingy. “I’m not tired, like at all. Too much sugar aha!” Cody giggled, slotting in the disc and sliding back into bed.

Noah loved this trilogy, but these movies were sooo long, and he had seen them plenty of times before. Therefore, about an hour in, his mind had started to wander. It didn’t help that the Two Towers was prone to slower moments. Cody had nudged himself in as close as possible to Noah, pressed against his side and an arm slung over Noah’s stomach. Noah hadn’t really noticed before, but now with Cody’s hair tickling his chin, he realised they’d migrated into a snuggling position. Not that he was complaining, Cody’s warmth calming him.

“Mm.” Cody was like a kitten, nuzzling in closer and closer.

“What’s up?” Noah felt his lips twitch into a smirk.

The way Cody was practically melded into him right now, with his fingers tracing at the hem of Noah’s shirt, he had a feeling where this was headed.

Sorry Aragorn, but Noah was gonna pick this cute brunette in his arms right now to give all his attention to.

“Nothin’.” Cody’s tone was playful and light, his nails dragging lightly against Noah’s skin now.

“If you say so.” Noah slid down a tad, letting Cody slip a leg in between Noah’s own. Now, he just had to wait for Cody to man up and make a move, since he couldn’t see the TV anymore.

Cody didn’t disappoint, raising his head to smash their lips together. Noah gripped onto Cody’s hips, pulling the smaller boy on top of him, making it clear to Cody that he was on board with this just as much. Cody was quick to slip his tongue into Noah’s mouth, his taste as sweet as the candy he’d been eating, and Noah couldn’t help but moan at the taste, wanting to drink in more and more. He didn’t know why, but there was just something about the way they kissed that set off something primal in him, something that always left Noah breathless and coming back for more. Noah didn’t get it; the guy wasn’t some kissing connoisseur, but it was like he instinctively knew exactly how to make Noah come undone. Even his past boyfriends hadn’t succeeded in that category before.

Their breaths were getting heavier, and Noah could feel his chest tightening. He pulled away, desperate for breath, Cody inhaling gulps of air on top of him. Cody sat up, perched lightly on Noah’s waist, and that ignited the fire in Noah’s belly. The cocky bastard grinned at Noah, wiping a hand through his fringe. Noah prised himself into an upright position, almost toppling Cody off of him, but he caught the other quickly, keeping him up right on his lap. He was going to kiss that smirk right off of Cody’s face.

Noah caught Cody’s bottom lip between his teeth, one hand flat on Cody’s shoulder blades, keeping him in place, the other on the small of Cody’s back, feeling his heated skin even through the fabric. Cody kissed him with passion, and it was like he couldn’t decide where was best to keep his hands, on Noah’s face, in his hair, at his waist or on his biceps, each touch feeling better than the last. The kiss was full of fever and fire, but Cody broke it, making Noah attempt to chase the others lips. Cody brought a finger to Noah’s lips with a sly smile, before attaching his mouth to Noah’s neck.

Noah gasped in pleasure as Cody began to suck lightly at the sensitive skin, playful nips with his teeth here and there. This was further than they’d ever gone before, and the rational part of Noah was telling him to stop, before it got out of hand and before they did something that they’d both regret.

And the dominant side of Noah’s brain was telling him that Cody must have been researching techniques, because god, that boy could do a hicky well. 

Cody pulled away to inspect his handywork, pleased with himself at the hint of bruised skin and a flushed Noah. Noah’s hands had snaked up the back of Cody’s shirt, tracing the bones in his spine. Cody looked like the cat who got the cream, but still too put-together for Noah’s liking. He wanted to make it even.

Noah brought their lips together yet again, the kiss deep and hard, and while Cody was distracted with their tongues, Noah gently pushed him backwards. Cody eased himself onto his back willingly, pulling Noah down on top of him by the collar of his shirt, their kiss not breaking once until Cody spoke.

“Get this off.” He commanded, tugging at Noah’s shirt.

Noah was glad he wasn’t wearing all his usual layers tonight, unbuttoning, but his fingers were shaking, fumbling at the buttons.

“Here.” Cody’s voice was sugary sweet and incredibly good at convincing Noah to do just about anything it seemed. Cody had Noah’s shirt off in seconds, tossing it to the side.

Noah had a hand on the hem of Cody’s t-shirt, a silent question for permission to do the same to Cody’s. Cody nodded and that was thrown somewhere to the left.

Now, Noah had officially gone further than he ever had before. And unless Cody had found a guy in his hometown to mess around with for a week, it was incredibly likely that it was the same situation for Cody. Noah took a moment to drink in the sight, Cody flat on his back beneath him, shirtless and blinking up at him with eager eyes. Cody smiled tentatively at him, the nerves kicking in for the both of them as they each let out a slight chuckle.

“Want me to stop?” Noah asked honestly.

What had been fierce, fiery want before had dimmed to something softer. Noah didn’t want to bite and kiss Cody until he had bruises, he just wanted to kiss him till he felt loved and complete. That whatever this itch that Cody had for Noah suddenly, or more correctly, for just wanting to feel needed, could be fixed with some gentle kisses and attention, then Noah would gladly do it.

“No.” Cody answered, sensing the shift in the mood, reaching up and stroking Noah’s cheek. “Do you want to stop? It’s ok.”

Noah shook his head, leaning into the touch. “No. Can I kiss you?”

“Of course.” Cody whispered, smiling at Noah like he was his sun.

Noah leant down, careful to not lean too heavily on Cody. He looked too small right now, too breakable. He pressed their lips together, slowly and secret. Cody kept the pace, only breaking the kiss to mute the TV when it got too loud and overbearing. Nobody wanted to make out to the sound of Gollum’s screeching.

The kisses were steady and easy, each tracing their fingertips over the others body, learning the map of each other. First shyly, then, as the tempo began to increase again, the touches became braver, steamier. Cody couldn’t keep his hands off of Noah’s ass or the back of his thighs, and Noah was enchanted by the dip of Cody’s hipbones.

Noah’s fingers slipped on accident when Cody shifted slightly underneath him, over the top of Cody’s crotch, and although he still had his jeans on, Noah froze at the feeling of the bulge. Instinctively, he withdraw his hand in seconds, scared that he had overstepped. Cody shivered, his grip on the back of Noah’s neck tightening, and he bucked up into Noah’s hand. Noah could feel himself harden, as if he hadn’t already been, but he hadn’t been too focused on that part of himself until now. Their eyes met, Cody’s lidded and lustful.

“Can you do that again?” Cody’s voice was hoarse and dry.

“Ye…yeah.” Noah did, and Cody moaned, a hand quickly slamming over his mouth, as if he hadn’t meant to sound like that. It made Noah feel incredible. 

Testing the waters, Noah repeated the touch, his hand rubbing lightly. With each stroke, Cody twitched, enjoying each movement. Cody’s knee was between Noah’s legs, stroking lightly, getting higher and higher to Noah’s own cock. Noah hoped that he knew he was doing that, or else that would be quite embarrassing. They kept like that for a few minutes, Cody reddening under him, his pale skin a giveaway for his increasingly flushed temperature.

“Can…” Cody began to speak, stopping to gasp as Noah kissed him on his jawline. “Can we take off the jeans?”

Noah kissed him quickly and nodded. Cody began fumbling with Noah’s button, eager to see underneath. Noah let him, kicking them off as soon as they were undone. Cody didn’t wait for Noah, slipping his own trousers off, and pulling Noah back down. Noah could feel skin on skin in places he never had before, every inch of him felt ecstatic and tingly. Cody arched up when Noah returned his hand, palming Cody’s dick through his boxers. He could feel the dampness, and Noah’s legs were shaking, knowing he was in a similar position.

Unable to keep himself propped upright for much longer, Noah lay down on his side beside Cody, intertwining their legs, and Cody went a step further, pressing their crotches together. Noah moaned, biting his lip at the contact, feeling the hardness of Cody’s dick against his own. Cody was kissing him again, and Noah was so wrapped up in this ecstasy that it wasn’t until he felt Cody kicking against him, that he realised that Cody had removed his own underwear completely.

Noah broke the kiss to do the same, self-consciousness and rational thinking out the window at this point, sneaking a glance down to see Cody’s naked form pressed against his own. Cody was quiet, a slight pant to his breath and his eyes half-closed as he gazed into Noah’s own.

And Noah knew right then that he was fucked.

He had never thought anyone could be so beautiful. He tried his best to convey that feeling to Cody with another kiss, his hands in Cody’s hair as he kissed him like he was running out of breath and Cody was his air.

Cody took control, the first to return the attention to their erections. Noah was breathing heavy, his face in Cody’s neck as the other gripped him tightly, beginning to stroke up and down. After a moment, Noah did the same, sucking lightly on Cody’s collarbone as he did so. Between them, it was awkward and fumbled at first, their hands bumping together, or the rhythm out of sync, their inexperience obvious. But what they lacked in practice, they made up for with enthusiasm. Noah wasn’t sure what to do, just attempting to use the technique he used on himself on Cody. By the feeling of Cody writhing in his hands, he was enjoying it, and whatever trick Cody was testing out on Noah felt amazing.

“Noah…” Cody moaned into his ear, and that was it, that was what done it.

Noah’s vision went white for a moment as he jerked up into Cody’s hand, riding out his orgasm, feeling Cody let go after a moment alongside him.

Cody fell back onto the mattress, sweaty and blissed out, his chest heaving, and his eyes still closed.

Noah opened his eyes, feeling the sticky mess between them, but he didn’t care about that right now. He looked at the boy next to him, and an overwhelming feeling of care and affection for the other washed over him. Maybe it was just the afterglow, but Noah knew this was deeper than just messing around for him. Somewhere along the way, he’d fallen for the gap-toothed boy without realising.

Cody turned his head to look at Noah, a stupid grin on his face as he let out a tiny laugh.

Noah contemplated what this meant, if he should bolt out the room, tell Cody that they couldn’t do that again and that they’d went too far tonight. But one look at that sweet face and he knew he could never do that. For whatever reason, that didn’t seem to scare Noah, even though he’d always felt slightly frightened when he’d liked someone before. Maybe it was because he’d been scared of the rejection, but he knew already that Cody was at least somewhat interested in him, or at the very least sexually attracted to him.

“That…that was awesome!” Cody pumped a fist in the air, and Noah burst into laughter. Trust this idiot to be so uncool during such a moment. “Right, Noah? Please don’t tell me I’m the only one that feels like I’m on drugs right now?”

“I don’t know about being on drugs, but yeah, feeling pretty good.” Noah smirked at him, basking in Cody’s happiness.

Cody laughed at that, and closed the distance between their mouths once again, one light peck of the lips. 

“Want me to rewind the movie? Or just unmute it?”

Noah blinked at him for a moment, he’d expected Cody to share a few jokes than graciously send him on his way. That’s how it went in the movies, right?

“Noah?” Cody prodded him in the shoulder.

“Uh, where’s it at?” Noah sat up on his elbows, looking at the silent TV. Further ahead than he’d thought, guess they’d taken a while, but still not near the end. Noah felt boneless and giddy, and even though he’d felt quite awake earlier, the rigorous action was making him a little sleepy and he didn’t feel like going back quite a few scenes. “Just unmute?” He offered.

“Yeah good plan.” Cody did so, then fumbled beneath the duvet between them for his pair of boxers. Noah did the same, shimmying into them as Cody handed him some tissues to clean up.

They went back to watching the movie as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, although they were both pushed up close to the wall, Cody avoiding the damp spot. At one-point Noah got up to use the bathroom, and he came back to Cody pulling him back under the sheets with him, still in nothing but their underwear. They didn’t kiss, but Cody was curled against Noah’s side, playing with Noah’s fingertips and the woven bracelet he wore as Noah occasionally twiddled with Cody’s locks of hair. Noah could feel his eyes feeling heavier and heavier, but he didn’t want to leave.

Without meaning to, Noah drifted off to sleep, Cody still in his arms.

When Noah woke, Cody was already up, the shower running in the bathroom. The TV was off and morning light filtered through the room. Noah sat up, feeling an ache in his hips, but altogether, pretty awesome. As he dressed, he heard the water turn off and some stumbling about, and a minute later he was greeted with a damp Cody that was still tinged pink from the shower.

“Morning!” Cody didn’t sound too mad at him for accidentally staying the night.

“Morning.” Noah yawned, waving like an idiot.

“Bathrooms free if you want.” Cody offered, combing his hair.

Noah nodded to him, still not fully awake, stepping into the other room. He couldn’t resist touching Cody’s arm lightly as he passed by, earning a gentle smile from the other as he did so.

When Noah returned to the room, he was ready to talk to Cody about his realisation of his feelings for the other. He’d mentally practiced a speech in the shower and everything. He felt that he should get this out the way, and he prayed to every deity and comic book character he’d ever heard of that Cody wouldn’t be too weirded out by him and maybe, just maybe, return his affections.

Instead, he was met with Bridgette, Geoff and Izzy all scattered about the room, chatting. Cody shot him a smile but didn’t explain why the others were here.

“Dude!” Geoff grinned at him. “Let’s get some grub, then you guys _have_ to help me set up this whole studio we’re gonna get to use!”

“Uh…” Noah was a bit put out, unsure what to say.

“Geoff!” Bridgette nagged lightly, but her soft expression to her boyfriend was anything but annoyed. Noah didn’t usually get jealous, but right now he wanted that. “First, we got our school work sent in, so I thought we should do it all together in one of the conference rooms with everyone, help each other out y’know?”

“Uh sure.” Noah felt like he’d be roped into everything anyway, whether he protested or not.

“Awesome, let’s go guys!” Izzy grabbed Noah roughly by the wrist and tugged him out the room.

Noah looked back over his shoulder to see Cody grinning at him while he left at a more leisurely pace with Geoff and Bridgette, talking about something he couldn’t hear.

“See you stayed the night!” Izzy whispered to Noah as they bounded down the stairs to the dining room, the clatter of their shoes on the glass floor of the staircase drowning out their conversation. The others were still halfway down the hall, being joined by Tyler and Eva.

“Just fell asleep by accident.” Noah glared.

“Riiiiiight.” Izzy rolled her eyes. “I always thought you guys had something going on, ever since the first week!”

“Not answering that, you’re just delusional.”

“Probably, but that’s not important!” Izzy grinned manically at him. “All I’m saying, is that you didn’t have that hicky last night when I was there.”

Noah tugged up the collar of his shirt and shoved her lightly, a flush to his cheeks as they entered the dining room.

\------------

Noah never did get the chance to tell Cody how he felt that day.

The school work piled up quickly, and with each day that passed, Noah’s workload increased as his confidence diminished. They never got a chance to be alone, someone always following them around, or Noah just had too much to do. Sometimes Cody would look at him from across the table as if Noah were as confusing as his maths homework, and then other times he would smile secretly to him like Noah was the best thing in his life.

All in all, Noah felt out of his comfort zone. Physics homework and political essays he could do in his sleep. But trying to figure out what he had going with Cody? It was all Greek to him. Actually, Noah thought he knew more Greek than he did about the other boys feelings.

It all came to a head when Trent got kicked off of the show. That’s when it all began to snowball for Noah.

They’d watched the episode, Cody shifting uncomfortably beside him as he had to watch two of his best friends screw each other over. While Noah understood that Trent seemed a little unhinged, he wasn’t coming from a bad place. But he also got how it would be too overbearing and claustrophobic for Gwen. But telling his team to vote him off? Yeah that sucked. Then they had to partake in the stupid aftermath show.

“I’m team Gwen, she’s hot and I still have her bra!” Cody was keeping up his ‘cool-guy’ persona for the fans, not that he was very good at it, and he and Noah shared a snicker as he produced the said undergarment on national TV.

But watching Trent cry his eyes out over having his heart broken then play his song for Gwen made something in Noah’s own chest hurt. If he did end up dating Cody, that could happen to him! And Noah didn’t want to go through such a painful experience and _definitely_ not publicly.

After the show, Cody said goodnight to Noah, making his way over to a still blubbering Trent before Sadie and Katie could get to him. Noah knew the two were close, and that Trent probably needed a friend right now, but Noah still felt a pang of jealousy as Cody rubbed circles on Trent’s back and whispered comforting sweet nothings to the other.

After that night, Cody and Trent were inseparable and there was nothing Noah could do about it.

Gwen left next, and the group was filled with an awkward aura, making Noah avoid the others even more than he had before. Which just left more chances for Trent to hang with Cody.

Not that Noah cared. Not at all.

“Urgh Noah can you give me a hand with this test? What did you put for number 4?” Trent was a nice guy and Noah genuinely liked him, but right now he was trying to do algebra, not history.

“I don’t know.” Noah replied curtly.

“Oh you haven’t done it yet? It has to be in by tonight.” Trent noted.

“I don’t have the same test as you.” Noah was getting a headache. A quick glance up from his paper at the others around the huge conference table showed they were all having a similar experience.

“Huh?” Trent seemed incredibly confused at such an answer. “But it’s a national standardised test, everyone has the same questions. I thought you took AP history too?”

“I did it last year, I can’t remember what I put.” Noah was doing his best to shake Trent off, but he persisted.

“Last year?” For a smart guy, Trent was struggling to keep up it seemed. “Wait, I thought we were all the same age.”

“He’s a grade above us.” Cody cut in, chewing on his pen from the other side of Trent, a creased frown on his face. He probably wanted Trent to shut up too.

“Yeah, I’m still the same age as everyone, I just skipped a year.” A few people murmured in shock around the table, and Noah flushed. There was a reason he didn’t tell strangers; he hated the attention. Thanks Cody.

“Woah, cool!” Trent grinned at him. “Guess you are a genius huh?” Noah shrugged at that which made Trent laugh. “So you’re graduating this year?”

“Yes, now can you please just do your work and leave me alone?” The pleasantries were gone, Noah had shit to do.

“Right, right, sorry!” Trent held up his hands in mock protest, before turning to Cody. “You’re a pretty smart cutie, right?”

Cody froze, his eyes wide at Trent’s comment and Noah looked up at the pair opposite him. Ok, there was no way in hell a guy like him could compete with someone like Trent.

“Cookie! Smart cookie, I meant to say smart cookie aha!” Trent was crimson in the face, trying to play it off. “So can you give me a hand with this question?” He shot a look down the table to Gwen, who was deep in conversation with Bridgette and Geoff, uninterested in her ex-boyfriend flailing.

Cody glanced to Noah, a look of uncertainty on his face. Noah pretended not to notice, staring at his paper with intense focus even though he felt sick all of sudden. That’s the last time he was eating the lobster sold in this hotel, it must have been from that.

Not at the sight of Cody across from him, becoming flustered over another guy. Nope, not that at all.

“Ri-right…” Cody stuttered, smiling at Trent. “Yeah I can help!”

The two shared a smile, then Trent lent in far closer than Noah thought was necessary. Cody didn’t need glasses; he could read the paper fine from his seat. Noah tried to focus on his work, but all he could hear was the pair giggling at each other, and the bile was beginning to rise in Noah’s throat.

“I’m going to my room.” Noah announced, though he doubted anyone cared.

“You ok?” Cody at least looked up as Noah began packing up his things.

“Just feel sick, I think lunch wasn’t quite right.” Noah replied, clipped and curt, before practically bolting out the door. He felt like he was gonna puke if he looked at Cody’s teal blue eyes going gooey over Trent for one more second.

“Oh, alright, feel better soon….” Cody mumbled, even though Noah didn’t hear him, long gone. Instead he turned his attention back to Trent and his coursework, unaware of Noah trying to keep the tears away as he sped off to his room.

\------------

Things continued for a couple of weeks like this.

Noah hung around with Cody, still greatly enjoying his company and his friendship, but that was it. He got to know Trent better, although they’d been on the same team on Island, then at Playa de Losers together, they hadn’t really had many conversations. Noah could understand what Cody saw in the guy, he was kind and sweet, he played Cody songs and had an interesting way of looking at life. Noah liked hanging with the dude, but he _hated_ being around both of them at once.

He and Cody hadn’t even kissed since that night, and still neither had brought anything up. It was like Cody had forgotten. And that hurt Noah a hell of a lot more than he thought it ever would.

So seeing Cody giggle at one of Trent’s jokes, or watch Trent make sappy lovestruck eyes at Cody made Noah want to crawl into a hole and die. He wished he could go back in time and never flip that switch of realising that he liked Cody. The ignorance had been bliss.

This just felt like being stabbed, as he watched Trent scoop Cody up into a hug after winning a game of table tennis against Tyler.

Unexpectedly, Noah found himself sitting on the side-lines of the game, the group on the rooftop garden on a particularly sunny late September afternoon, accompanied by one still grumpy looking Gwen.

She hadn’t said a word to him when she sat down beside him on the bench and put her chin in her hands, watching Cody and Trent swat at each other like children. Noah had at least brought a distraction, another king-size book, although the words blurred every time he heard Cody’s laughter or another one of Trent’s sickening compliments.

“It’s annoying you too, isn’t it?”

Oh, Gwen had finally spoken.

“What is?” Noah played dumb.

“Watching them be like this. It’s so obvious what’s gonna happen.” Gwen groaned. “Though I deserve it, for what I did to Trent. What’s your excuse?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Noah sighed.

Trent had picked Cody up now, pretending to throw him into a bush, making Cody laugh hysterically. God, Noah wanted to puke.

“Right.” Gwen wasn’t convinced, maybe Bridgette had told her. “Cody’s my friend, he told me you helped him work out he liked guys too.”

Dammit Cody.

“So I’m guessing you helped him with more than just a motivational speech.” She’d hit the nail on the mark, making Noah cringe.

Noah felt his throat close as he watched the two flirting on the grass. He guessed this must be how Gwen was feeling right now, if not worse. Fuck it, if Cody had already told her stuff, then he could too.

“Yeah, I kissed him when he asked me to.” He answered.

“And how many times did he ask you?”

“Twice. Or something.” Noah shrugged. “Then the other times it just, it just happened.” He didn’t know why he was spilling his guts to Gwen of all people, but maybe it was just from all the pent-up hurt or frustration, but he just felt like he needed to talk to someone, and Owen wasn’t here.

“Hm.” Thankfully, Gwen was empathetic, knowing not to probe on the details like a gossip queen. “And let me guess, somewhere along the way, you caught feelings for him?”

“Bingo.” Noah tried his best to sound his usual sarcastic, uncaring self, but he couldn’t fool Gwen.

“Sorry to hear that.” Misery sure loved company it seemed. “If it helps, I think he likes you at least a bit, if he did that stuff with you.”

“That doesn’t really help, no.” Noah rolled his eyes but he appreciated her trying. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter, he’s clearly into Trent. We haven’t done anything since Trent got here.”

Gwen remained silent for a moment, watching the two boys who had both liked her at some point in time. She wasn’t going to lie to Noah and tell him that nothing was going on between Cody and Trent, he didn’t deserve that. She’d talked with Trent the night before, and he’d told her that he’d developed feelings for the smaller boy, and it had hurt her like crazy, but she’d encouraged him to go for it. There wasn’t anything she could say to Noah to make him feel better, just like he couldn’t do for her. It was something they just had to get through, be good friends and grin and bear it, even if it was killing them inside.

“Crushes suck.” She finally said.

Noah let out a dry laugh, at least he could find some humour in this. “True dat.”

\------------

The night after his brief chat with Gwen, Noah was in his room alone for another night of homework and coffee.

Or at least, that’s what he’d been expecting, because that’s how it had been for two weeks straight. That was, until a knock rang out on his door.

Noah rose from the bed slowly, pissed off at the other even before he knew who it was.

“What?” He swung the door open, clearly grumpy at being pulled away from his study session.

“Uh…” Noah hadn’t been expecting Cody. Usually, the other was spending his free time with the guitar boy and his handsome green eyes. “Can I come in? I’ll be quick, I promise, I know you’ve got a lot to do.”

“Yeah sure.” Noah had changed his tone to neutral, trying to hide his shock at seeing the other right now. “Sit wherever.” He said as he let Cody into the room, noticing the tense position Cody had scrunched himself into, shoulders hunched, and his arms crossed.

Was Cody that uncomfortable around him now?

“What’s up?” Noah moved some books off the end of his bed, making room for Cody to sit.

“Trent asked me out.” Cody was straight to the point, yet he wouldn’t look at Noah.

Noah had been expecting this for a few days, but he still wasn’t prepared for the wave of cold sickness that ran through his body when he heard it, like someone had thrown a bucket of ice water over him.

“Oh.” He eventually said. “What did you say?” Every part of Noah was crying inside, but above all, he was Cody’s friend, and Cody had come to speak to him, so Noah was going to rise above his stupid, unwanted feelings and talk with the dude.

“I told him I’d get back to him in an hour.” Cody turned to face him; his eyes huge. They were red around the edges as if he’d been crying. Was he that excited that Trent had asked him out that he’d cried? Jesus Christ.

“I…I don’t know what to do, and I just wanted to talk to someone, and I knew you’d be the best about it. I mean, it’s been over an hour already, but I needed some help first.”

Cody sounded unsure in himself, clumsy with his words, his cocky attitude and carefree tone that Noah loved so much was gone.

“Well, do you like him? Like that?” Noah was trying his best to be helpful.

“I think he’s cute, yeah.” Cody’s face burned at admitting that. “So you think I should go for it?”

Noah pursed his lips, trying to refrain from bursting into tears or screaming something he didn’t mean at Cody right now. He felt like he’d swallowed a bag of rocks and they’d all congregated in his stomach, clenching his belly. Noah had wanted to avoid heartbreak, and he’d thought he’d achieved that by not telling Cody how he felt and not dating him, but it had found him anyway. Guess this was what he got for thinking with his dick, not his head. He _knew_ it would end badly, just like he’d told himself on the dock that first night, that it would be terrible idea.

“Noah?” Cody shuffled closer, forcing Noah to try and form words.

“Then why not? If you like each other, go for it.”

Why. The. Hell. Did. He. Say. That.

Oh, right.

Because he was Cody’s friend, one of the closest he had, not his fucking boyfriend.

So like any good pal, he should encourage Cody to find love, to find happiness. Noah knows that Trent will treat him right, he wasn’t just there to fuck around and only use Cody when it suited him. Like Noah had. God, he didn’t deserve Cody to begin with, he’d been such an idiot.

Is this how Cody had felt, when he’d first set up Gwen and Trent? Doing something for the good of his friends because he cared about them, regardless of his own feelings? Man, it sucked.

“Right.” Cody looked away, and Noah couldn’t understand why Cody looked disappointed all of a sudden. Wasn’t that what he was supposed to say? “Yeah, yeah I should give it a go.” Cody forced a smile, and Noah’s head was swimming, he didn’t understand what he’d done wrong.

“Cool, good luck.” Noah copied Cody’s grim grin, even going a step further and patting him on the back, like a good bro.

“Thanks for everything Noah, you’ve helped me so much, I can’t thank you enough.” Cody’s expression shifted, almost to a genuine smile, but the hint of sadness lingered.

“For what?”

“For helping me come to terms with myself. And all the practice haha.” Cody laughed, albeit nervously. “I’m gonna miss it.”

He was inches away from Noah on the bed, his knee pressed against Noah’s own. Noah had gotten so used to Cody being in his personal space all the time, he’d hardly even noticed. Noah shifted slightly, not meaning to brush their hands together, but he did. Cody didn’t pull away, so neither did Noah.

“No worries, glad to be of service.” God, why did he have to word it like that? He was such an idiot.

Cody chuckled at that, an honest laugh. “Don’t say it like that, that sounds so naughty!”

Noah shrugged and grinned, secretly glad that he had made Cody laugh again, even if it was over something so stupid. “I’ll miss it too, you’re not so bad with your moves, Code-ster.” Noah knew he’d been awake too long, his mouth was just running garbage at this point, he hadn’t meant to say that.

Cody smirked at him, tilting his head as Noah blushed at his own idiocy.

“Say…” Cody’s eyes had drifted down, to gaze at Noah’s lips. “I haven’t gotten back to him yet, one last kiss?”

Noah’s eyes bulged at such a suggestion, but he couldn’t deny how badly he wanted to.

“I mean, only if you’re down!” Cody quickly stammered; his hands raised.

“Kay,” Noah knew he shouldn’t, he fucking knows it, that this will just hurt him even more in the long run, but somewhere along the line, he’d became addicted to kissing Cody. He just wanted one last hit, something to remember him by. 

“Awesome!” Cody surged forward, pushing Noah back into the pillows and kissing him senseless.

Noah kissed back with as much passion as he could muster, trying to savour the moment for as long as possible, the feeling of Cody in his lap, his hands in Noah’s hair as he slid his tongue into Noah’s mouth, like it belonged there. Noah knew they couldn’t go far, that it was to just be brief, but he couldn’t resist winding his arms around Cody’s lithe waist, pulling him in as close as he could get him, kissing him like his life depended on it, wanting Cody to see what he was giving up. That somehow one last stupid makeout session could convince Cody to change his mind and _pick him_ , all without actually telling him how he truly felt.

Cody was kissing him hard, clinging to Noah at this point, and it wasn’t until Noah felt a tear slide down his cheek that he thought they should stop. Cody reeled back, wiping his eyes quickly, then his mouth, trying to hide the gesture from Noah with his back turned. Noah brought a hand to his own eyes, and as much as his heart hurt right now, that tear hadn’t been his own, like he’d assumed.

“I…I need to go.” Cody stumbled off the bed, heading for the door. “See you at breakfast, good luck with the homework!” Cody’s voice hitched, his face to the door, refusing to look at Noah as he bounded out the room and off to go date Trent.

Noah sat for a moment, dazed at what had happened. The door clicked shut behind the boy he’d just kissed, and Noah had never felt lonelier in his life, sitting in a hotel room with a broken heart and a bed full of homework.

Cody was long gone when the tears began to fall, and with nobody around, Noah lay down and cried his heart out over a mess that he’d made himself.

\------------

Weeks passed, and so did the end of Total Drama Action.

Noah became accustomed to seeing Cody with Trent, and even though it hurt him inside, he couldn’t deny that he was happy for the other. Seeing Cody be comfortable with himself and a same-sex relationship, proud to hold Trent’s hand at the dinner table, and even if it wasn’t on camera, it was still happening. And yeah, even if it wasn’t with him like Noah would prefer, he was still overjoyed for his friend.

When Owen was eliminated, he’d been quick to ask Noah all about his escapades with Cody that Owen had missed out on. Noah had told him everything, even about the movie night, but had sworn Owen to secrecy. Not even telling Izzy. Owen had agreed but the downside was now whenever Cody kissed Trent on the cheek around them, Owen would shoot Noah a pitiful gaze. Eventually Noah told him just to never bring up his fling with Cody again.

Noah and Cody remained close, but strictly as friends. Cody never initiated anything, or even flirted, and while Noah missed the attention, he was also glad that it meant that Cody was faithful. As far as he knew, Trent had no idea about his and Cody’s past. They stayed seated together and joking around on the Aftermath show and helped each other with homework. Noah even watched the Return of the King with only Cody and Trent without his head exploding.

But all good things come to an end, and Noah found himself on the plane home with Owen. He’d hugged Cody hard when they’d parted and had slipped him his home address in case Cody’s parents got rid of his electronics again.

“Talk to me whenever, ok? About anything, I’m there.” Noah promised him.

“I will.” Cody said into his shoulder, upset at having to leave everyone. He’d be having to maintain a secret long-distance relationship with Trent, and he wished he lived in the same city with all his friends together. Life would be so much simpler.

“You too, Noah. You’re the best.” Cody papped him lightly on the cheek before following Gwen to their gate, leaving Noah with Owen and an unrequited crush to get over.

When Noah got home, his parents embraced him with enthusiasm, and while he’d been away, they’d made friends with Owen’s family. Together, the two large families had a welcome home party in Noah’s back garden, full of food and laughter.

“So…”

Noah had snuck away to the deck at the bottom of the garden, sending a text to Cody that he’d gotten home and wishing him well. He’d been alone until his mother had made her way over to him and sat down beside him.

“Texting Cody?” She asked.

“Mm.” Noah murmured. He hadn’t talked with her yet, and he was still trying to deal with everything that had gone on. If she was her usual self, he wasn’t in the mood for her optimistic cheer.

“Is he your boyfriend yet?” She teased.

“Nope.” Noah pocketed the phone, his face stormy and upset. Hopefully his mother would pick up on the tone and drop it.

“Aw, baby what happened?” Or not.

“He fell for Trent, not me.” Noah grimaced. “End of story, we’re not going to be a thing. I can’t compete with a guy like that.”

Chandra was silent beside him, which worried Noah. She was never quiet.

“You’ve changed your tune.” She noted. “Before you left, you insisted you only liked his as a friend. Now it sounds like you wanted him to be your boyfriend.”

Noah shrugged nonchalantly. “Guess you were right. I fell for him, hard. Kinda hard not to when he’s as cute as that. But Trent came along and was simply better than me and asked him out. So yeah, we’re just friends forever and that’s ok.”

“Ah, sweetie, I’m sorry.” She hugged him lightly from his side. “But don’t say Trent is better than you, you’re a catch! Cody must have made the wrong choice.” She tried to comfort her son. “Did he at least turn you down gently?”

“I never told him I liked him.”

“What?!” Chandra pulled back with a screech, making a few family members look over in their direction. “You mean, you didn’t even ask him out?” Noah shook his head.” Stupid boy!” She rapped him lightly on the back of the head. “How can you expect him to date you if you don’t even ask?”

“Hey!” Noah wanted the pity party back.

“Trent’s not better than you, but he might be smarter.” She huffed.

“Rude.” Noah rolled his eyes.

“Cody picked him because Trent was the one who actually had the guts to tell him how he felt!” She was going all in now. Wasn’t his mother supposed to be on his side? “Why wait around for a boy who can’t get his act together, when another bachelor is straight to the point? He doesn’t have all year Noah! He probably liked you very much but thought you just wanted to play, then when somebody tells him they have feelings for him, of course he’ll jump on the opportunity! Why should he be stuck in a limbo with a silly boy when a man comes along and is confident in his feelings for him!”

Noah gaped at his mother. He hadn’t expected a lecture.

“Well, if he liked me so much, he could have asked me out himself!” He protested. It was weak, but Noah felt a little insulted by his mom right now.

“He wasn’t out, you are! You should have thought about his situation and been the first to ask, he was probably just incredibly scared.”

“Oh right.” Noah mumbled. Yeah that made sense.

“I’m going to get a drink.” His mother stood up. “My silly son makes me need a glass of wine for his troubles. If you get another chance with him, don’t let it slip by or you’re going to make me an alcoholic!” And with that, she strutted back to the house, leaving Noah on the deck to wallow in his own ridiculous self-pity. 

\------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok yeah I'm on a roll with NoCo fics apparently. To make it a bit clearer, I messed with the timeline of the shows, where they do actually age.  
> So Island is summer 2008,   
> Action is Fall 2008  
> Noah's birthday party is December 31st 2009/January 1st 2010   
> Manhunt aftermath special is March 2010   
> And World Tour is March/April 2010!
> 
> Please tell me what you think!


	2. Noah's Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Action is over, and the group have a year of normality. 
> 
> Noah's 18th birthday is coming up and he hosts a mass birthday/New Year's Party, and this is his first time in seeing Cody in forever.

Life never did return to normal after Total Drama.

Noah studied like crazy when he got home, putting TV shows and fanbases behind him and replacing them with exams and 5000-word essays. That’s not to say that he forgot everything that he had gained from the reality show, Owen was the best friend he’d ever had, and he kept in contact with many of the other contestants, talking online or even just following their life on social media.

Cody especially.

Even after all that they’d had together, their friendship remained strong, if not stronger, as the months went on. Cody was struggling at home, and Noah helped him through it, and in return Cody kept him sane through his final year of high school. Unfortunately, with such busy and conflicting schedules, he didn’t get to visit Cody in person, only speaking via phone calls or skype messages.

Cody remained with Trent for a few months, until the spring of the next year, and the two parted on good terms. Noah bit down the irritating voice in his head telling him that he had a chance again. Because nope, he wasn’t going there, he’d spent months trying to get over Cody, and he was succeeding right now.

Even though they’d broken up, that didn’t stop Cody and Trent forming a band, the Drama Brothers, with Harold and Justin of all people. Apparently, they’d played around with the idea during action, but Noah hadn’t been aware of it. And overnight, Cody was back in the papers and fan sites, their songs a hit and Cody lapped it all up, enjoying every second of fame and touring that the band gave him.

Truthfully, Noah found the songs kinda bad, and a bit cheesy, but he would never actually tell Cody that. More than anything, he was just proud of the guy. Even when the group disbanded because of Harold and his ‘solo career’, and the partying went too far and they ended up doing community service, Noah never made fun of it to the other.

Noah graduated that summer, a year ahead of all his peers and with outstanding marks. He was home for five minutes then his phone was buzzing away in his pocket, Cody calling to scream at him about how happy he was for Noah, making the sarcastic boy cry. Thankfully only Owen caught that, not his whole family, or else he would have been hearing about it for another ten years.

Noah decided to take a year of work experience, getting a lucrative offer into show business via an apprenticeship, instead of going straight to University. There was no point going if he wasn’t at least 18 when he went, he reasoned. Still, the call from Chris was a shock, and Noah dithered about it for a few days. Eventually he called up Cody, swearing him to secrecy and in the end, Cody convinced him to go for it, it was a prime offer, even if it was from that nutcase. Unfortunately, with his new job, that meant Noah missed the Total Drama reunion held at Gwen’s house that happened in August, seeing the photos of all his friends having fun without him. Rumour had it that Cody had hooked up with Justin that night, but Cody wouldn’t confirm.

Autumn passed by quickly, Noah getting the hang of running errands for the guy who had previously made his life hell, finding it mundane and boring one minute, frantic and exhilarating the next. Cody spoke with him regularly, stressing about his final year, and he managed to find a girl who he liked for a couple of months as well before breaking up in the middle of November. Noah met a handsome Greek guy at an event he attended with Chris, the son of some movie producer and the two hit it off.

Noah didn’t tell Cody about him though, and he didn’t know why.

Noah ended up going even further with that guy, Nikos, than he had with Cody, losing his virginity in the back of a tour bus with a guy who’s last name he couldn’t even pronounce. When it was over, Noah felt empty and shitty with himself, knowing he shouldn’t have done that, it wasn’t who it should have been with. He called things off with Nikos the next day, and that was it.

Noah couldn’t find it in himself to care.

But now he had a reason to be excited. Chris had given him two weeks of winter holiday, and Noah got to spend all his time at home with his family and Owen, feasting on Christmas food and watching crappy TV. But best of all, his 18th birthday was just around the corner and his parents had agreed to letting him host a birthday party. Noah wasn’t one for big house parties, but he felt like he should have at least one in his life. His birthday was New Year’s Eve, so the party was doubling as a Hogmanay blast as well, and his parents were letting him have control of the house, as they were going to stay with his aunt and uncle, taking the last of his siblings that still lived at home with them.

Noah was buzzing with excitement when he told Cody of his plans in early November. Cody was ecstatic, agreeing immediately, although he’d have to come a few days earlier than the rest, due to travel plans. Noah was more than ok with that.

Noah invited most of the other cast, if they could make it, and the one’s that he hadn’t were deciding to come over anyway. He was lucky his house was huge to host them all. He’d do something else with his old friends from school in the New Year, the few that he’d kept in contact with.

It was an early morning on December the 28th that Noah waited in an airport terminal with Owen and Izzy, who had already arrived days before to spend Christmas with Owen.

The gates opened and Noah watched as tired faces filtered through, middle aged couples, families with hyper children, single business men speeding towards the coffee shops.

And there, in amongst them all, was one short brunette with a gap between his teeth and an oversized backpack, a stupid grin on his face as he looked around for Noah.

Noah walked closer, feeling a wave of euphoria wash over him. He’d spent months trying to get over the other boy, and he really thought he had, but seeing that cute smile and wide, teal eyes was doing funny things to Noah’s heart all over again.

“Hey Cody! There’s Cody!” Izzy screamed, catching the attention of plenty other early morning flyers as well as the targeted dude.

Cody turned his head in the direction of Izzy’s voice, finally seeing the three standing there, waiting for him.

“Hey Cody!!” Owen was bouncing on his feet like a puppy and waving. 

Noah felt a lump in his throat, unable to speak as Cody started towards them, the biggest grin on his face, and although Noah had video called with him a million times, he hadn’t seen Cody look that happy in forever.

Before Noah could react, Cody had pushed past the crowd, running towards them with his arms stretched out. Noah got his act together, walking towards the speeding boy, catching him in his arms as Cody barrelled into him with full force and tears in his eyes.

“Noah!” Cody cried, wrapping his arms around Noah’s neck, making Noah squeeze him tighter. “Oh my God, oh man, I have missed you!” Cody was laughing.

Now that he was here, here in Noah’s arms, Noah felt like he’d been hit by a truck of emotions. Of course he’d missed Cody, the other constantly on his mind, just wanting to hug the other whenever he had felt like crap, or just wanted to hear his laughter in person again, but he hadn’t expected it to affect him so much when it actually happened. It hadn’t really interfered with his day-to-day life. Guess he had really missed him then, Noah realised as a few tears of his own slipped out.

“Oh my god, you’re crying too.” Cody giggled, reaching up and wiping at Noah’s cheek.

“Shut up.” Noah blushed. He couldn’t believe he was crying in an airport terminal at seven in the morning.

“You missed me too, huh?” Cody had Noah’s face in his hands, their noses almost touching.

“Maybe.” Noah smirked, feeling the light exhale of laughter on his lips from Cody.

They remained like that, staring into each other’s eyes, foreheads pressed together and holding each other tight for longer than Noah had thought, far longer than what would be normal for two friends, but Noah didn’t care.

“Oh I just can’t wait any longer, I’m sorry!” Noah was reminded that they weren’t in their own little world as he heard Owen’s voice from behind him. Then a second later, he felt himself being wrapped up in Owen’s thick, marshmallowy arms, the blond wrapping Noah and Cody up into a giant bear hug. “Get in on this too Izz!”

“Little Cody! Hey cutie!” Izzy shoved herself into the group hug, gifting Noah with a face full of her wild hair.

“Hey guys!” Cody was crying, overwhelmed by them all. “Missed you two!”

“You too Cody, oh we’re gonna have so much fun!” Owen beamed, letting them go at last.

“Air, air.” Noah gasped, pretending to fan himself, making Cody giggle. Shit, he’d missed being able to do that.

“I want a frappucino, c’mon boys!” Izzy declared, yanking on Owen and Cody’s arms in the direction of the Starbucks.

Yeah, Noah couldn’t wait for the next few days, following behind his friends with a soft smile.

\------------

The next few days before his birthday passed in a blur of happy moments for Noah.

The first night, they all had a sleepover in his bedroom, Izzy and Owen included. The night was spent with too much candy, too much video games and movies, and plenty of giggles. It was the happiest that Noah had felt in forever, just splayed out on the rug on his floor, playing would you rather and eating popcorn.

Owen fell asleep first, on the airbed on Noah’s bedroom floor, snoring away. Izzy stayed awake a bit longer, beating the other two boys at Mario Cart for the hundredth time, before flopping back onto Owen and passing out.

“Uh…” Cody began to talk but a yawn overcame him.

“Yeah, probably time to sleep.” Noah knew what he was getting at and switching off the console. “I mean, it is like 3am.” Noah yawned himself.

“Brushin my teeth.” Cody announced, getting up groggily from the floor and exiting the room, and Noah did the same, heading to one of the other bathrooms in the house.

When Noah returned, Cody was standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, checking something on his phone.

“What’s up?” Noah whispered, not wanting to wake the others.

“Uhm, where am I sleeping?” Cody asked.

Oh right, they hadn’t even discussed that. They’d been so wrapped up in catching up and eating pizza that they hadn’t even thought where Cody was staying, they’d simply dumped his bag in Noah’s room then went out to buy snacks. His mother had left some blankets on the sofa down stairs if he’d wanted, since the house was still full of his siblings and their families visiting from Christmas and where there was usually old unused bedrooms, they were currently full of noisy family members. There was the airbed that Noah used for sleepovers, but Owen and Izzy had taken that over, and if they stayed again tomorrow night, it would still be full.

“Er…” Noah rubbed the back of his head. “Just share with me tonight? Then the airbed was meant for you, I guess.”

“Mm, ok!” Cody smiled at him, and Noah was glad he didn’t seem fussed about sharing a bed with Noah again, even after what they’d shared a year and a bit before.

Noah nodded, slipping into his bed, holding back the sheet for Cody to get in beside him after switching off the light. Noah lay back, his eyes sore from staring at the TV for hours, feeling Cody wriggle around and get comfortable beside him. Noah’s bed was a double, but he had a bunch of cushions squished all over the place, making the space a lot smaller. Not that he really cared, as Cody lay still and warm, his arm brushing against Noah’s.

“I really missed you, y’know.” Cody murmured, laying on his side and facing Noah.

Noah turned his head to meet Cody’s eyes, their faces inches apart. “I missed you too.” He confessed, his heart hammering in his chest from seeing Cody’s sleepy smile.

“Night Noah. Can’t wait for you to show me Vancouver tomorrow.” Cody grinned at him, and Noah tried his best to nod with his head flat against the pillow.

“Same. Night Cody.” Noah whispered, a soft smile on his face at the other boy.

Cody seemed to fall asleep instantly, but Noah lay awake for a while longer, finding the soft sounds of his friends sleeping comforting. Cody had shuffled closer in his sleep, his forehead pressed against Noah’s shoulder, his hand light on Noah’s arm. Noah turned his head, his face filled with the fluff of Cody’s hair, and even though it tickled his nose and lips, Noah smiled to himself, basking in the feeling of security and care that he got from Cody. He knew already that he’d never really gotten over the other, that those feeling had just lain dormant as he rushed about his life, doing his best to push every thought and want he’d had for Cody into an invisible box in his mind. But it was as clear as day to Noah that they weren’t going anywhere, and as Cody sighed in his sleep, his fingers tracing an unseen pattern on Noah’s bare skin, that Noah didn’t w _ant_ to get over him.

\-------------

The next day was spent with Owen and Noah showing Izzy and Cody the best that their city had to offer. Cody loved the anthropology museum while Izzy was fascinated with Chinatown, spending far too much on dim sum for them all for lunch. The four drank hot coffee as they walked through Stanley Park, and although the day was chilly, it was still bright and sunny, the perfect day for walking.

The four ended up at English Bay, admiring the Inukshuk memorial as the sun began to set. Cody steered Noah to a bench that overlooked the ocean, giving Izzy and Owen some private time to wander off, holding hands and being all loved up with each other.

“I love Vancouver.” Cody said as they sat.

“Yeah?” Noah was secretly proud of that, that little bit of home city pride tingling at hearing Cody profess his love for his home. It meant he’d done a good job at being a tour guide today.

“Mm.” Cody had his chin in his hands, staring out to sea with a dreamy expression. “I prefer it over Toronto, I think.”

“Same.” Noah knew that went without saying for him, but still added his input.

“I can’t wait until I can move out and come live in a big city like this, it’s so much more fun!” Cody laughed, a hint of sadness in his tone though.

“Just a few more months.” Noah bumped their shoulders together. “You can come here if you like, Owen and I have been looking for apartments.”

“Really?” Cody asked shyly. “Or are you just saying that to be polite? Not that I mind.”

“No, I mean it.” Noah frowned at him. “You’re always welcome here. Mi casa su casa? Or whatever it was you said.” Noah grinned, remembering his phrasing from the night in the hotel.

Cody paused, and Noah worried for a minute that he’d said the wrong thing. Maybe he shouldn’t have brought up anything connected to their time in the hotel in Toronto, Cody probably didn’t want to be reminded of that.

“Deal. I’m an awesome roommate.” Cody said at last, a dopey grin on his face. “Now be a man and let me borrow your scarf, because I am freezing!”

Noah relaxed, unwinding his scarf and twisting it around Cody instead, his heart melting when Cody nuzzled into the fabric, then linked their arms, leaning against Noah’s side as they waited for the other two. With the sun set and beautiful view, Noah almost felt like he was on a date, especially as Cody remained close against him, both silent and contemplating.

Owen and Izzy decided to go back to Owen’s that night, giving Noah and Cody their own time to catch up. Noah couldn’t hide the smile on his face when he and Cody got home, his mother flapping about excitedly to show off her cooking skills. Everyone sat around having dinner, and Cody seemed at home among them all, laughing with Noah’s siblings and giggling at the attention from his aunts and mother. Cody went to shower and Noah helped his mother with cleaning up the mass of dishes. How she cooked a feast for so many people, he could never understand.

“I like him.” Chandra said out of the blue.

“Who?” Noah played dumb.

“Cody.” She bumped her arm against her sons. “He’s so sweet and sunny.”

“Yeah he gets on with practically anyone, somehow.” Noah laughed. He was pleased that his mother liked Cody, not that he had expected anything less.

“Did you see him joking with the kids?” She smiled. “If he can entertain four pre-schoolers at once, he can stay here forever!”

“You’d have to pay him, don’t be cruel.” Noah joked back.

“Pretty sure he’d stay just for the food and time with you. And,” She nudged Noah again, to make him look at her. “He’s adorable with you. I’ve never seen you so comfortable and happy with somebody before. Are you sure there’s not something there?”

Noah didn’t answer, focused on wiping the drips of water on a glass away. “We’re just friends.” He’d said it a hundred times before, and each time it hurt just a little bit more to say. “He’s just friendly with everyone, he doesn’t like me like that.”

“Sweetie…” His mother spoke softly. “That special look, the little smile he had just for you, that wasn’t for anyone else. It’s not the kind of expression you have for just a friend.” He wanted to believe her so bad, but he knew this was just how they were. Nothing more, nothing serious. “Just…I think you should try telling him again.” She smiled encouragingly, only wanting what was best for her son.

When Noah got back upstairs, Cody was curled up, snoozing on top of the duvet of his bed, dressed in his pyjamas but the towel still around his shoulders. Noah gently pulled the towel out from under him, then the covers, and tried his best to tuck Cody in, even though he was laying in the middle of the bed. Noah yawned, feeling exhausted himself, even though it was only 9pm. Deciding to follow suit, he got changed and ready to sleep, sliding into bed against the wall, the covers not stretching correctly to cover him too.

“Hey.” He prodded Cody awake.

“Huh?” Cody sat up blearily. “Oh sorry, I’ll move.” He got up to shift onto the airbed, but Noah gripped his arm gently.

“It’s fine, just turn round the right way.”

“Oh. Ok.” Cody didn’t protest, slipping in against Noah, his head on the other pillow.

“Night.” Noah held his breath, elated that Cody was happy to share with him. Or he was probably just too tired to care.

“G’night. Thanks for today.” Cody mumbled, drifting off to sleep with his legs against Noah’s.

Noah woke slowly, feeling snug and comfortable, his head on something harder than his usual pillow. He blinked awake, lifting his head to see that he’d moved onto Cody in the night, his face on Cody’s chest and their torsos pressed together, the morning sunlight shining through the window onto the pair of them.

“Mornin’.” Cody said, his arms above Noah’s head, reading something on his phone.

“You’re awake?” Noah sat up, wiping his eyes.

“Yeah, have been for nearly an hour. Reading meme posts though.” Cody said back casually.

“Oh.” Noah felt his chest tighten at that.

This was the first time they’d woken up together for Cody to still be in the bed and not immediately bolting, not counting the stupid ear kiss on the Island. Even on his first night, Cody had gotten up before Noah and helped his mom and Owen make breakfast. There was just something exhilarating about it to Noah, that Cody had woken up, seen Noah splayed out over him, and just stayed there, leaving Noah to snooze on him. It felt, he couldn’t quite word it…romantic almost?

“You talk in your sleep y’know?” Cody broke the moment.

“Shit, do I?” Noah panicked. Had he said something he shouldn’t have? “What was I saying?”

“Not a clue.” Cody laughed. “It was mostly just gibberish. Heard the word coffee a few times though.”

“Sounds about right.” Noah laughed, relieved that he hadn’t just betrayed himself in his sleep. “Breakfast? Then I guess we gotta start picking up some people.”

About half of the others were arriving at various points of the day, the rest tomorrow, so it was going to be many car trips to the airport or bus station. As well as that, the last of Noah’s family were leaving, his brother and his wife and kids, as well as an aunt and his grandmother. It was going to be a busy day.

“Yeah sure.” Cody stretched; his legs still intertwined with Noah’s. “Heh, your hair.”

“Huh?” Noah ran a hand through his long hair, feeling tangles. It probably looked like a very unattractive birds nest right now.

“Here, you’re making it worse.” Cody chuckled at him, twining his fingers through Noah’s locks, gently waving his hand through. He was inches away from Noah, warm and inviting. Noah felt himself leaning forward without thinking, Cody still had a hand in Noah’s hair, tickling lightly at the back of his neck, and he did the same, their noses brushing together.

Noah panicked inwardly, that he probably had morning breath and that he was overstepping, but Cody had his thigh draped over Noah’s, practically in his lap and his other palm had reached up to cup Noah’s cheek. Neither spoke, their lips about to meet for the first time in over a year, and Noah felt his heart hammering in his chest, Cody’s breath against his, making his head dizzy with affection for the other.

“Uncle Noah!” The door slammed open, as one of Noah’s little nephews pranced into the room. “Get up!” Cody practically tipped off of Noah’s lap, both of them jumping away from each other at the intrusion.

“What?!” Noah bit back at the ten-year-old. He had been _so c_ lose.

“Grandma made breakfast and told me to wake you two lazy boys up.” The child, Jack, replied back, a sly grin on his face. “What were you two doing?” Goddamnit, why couldn’t it have been one of the toddlers that had come in, not a sixth grader that new full well what kissing looked like.

“Nothing.” Noah answered, his voice strained. Cody was biting his sleeve opposite him, trying to hold back from laughing.

“You two were going to kiiiiiiisss.” Jack teased.

“Were not!” Noah protested, getting up and attempting to chase his nephew out the room, Cody following with a cheesy grin on his face.

“Were so.” The boy jumped out of Noah’s grip and ran into the hallway. “Uncle Noah and Cody were kissing! K-I-S-S-I-N-GEEEEEEE!” He screamed with glee, announcing to the whole house what he’d seen.

Cody burst into laughter, amused by the whole situation, thankfully not embarrassed or repulsed. Noah shot him a glare at finding Noah’s embarrassment funny and stormed after his pesky nephew to the kitchen, hearing his family clamouring and chatting in the rooms below.

“We were not!” Noah yelled back when he heard his mother’s gasp at Jack telling her in person, but the grin was still present plastered on Noah’s face. 

~~~~

The next day passed quickly, Noah and Cody never getting a chance to be alone, so the almost-kiss went by un-talked about, yet again. Owen and Izzy met them that evening, as well as Gwen, Trent, Leshawna, Harold, Heather, Tyler, Geoff, Bridgette and DJ. Noah’s house was full already and there was still another 9 arriving tomorrow. Cody and DJ helped Noah’s mother with cooking and Noah sorted out find everyone bedrooms to share and sleeping bags or blankets. 

“Hey, uh, can I talk to you dude?” Trent had cornered Noah in the hallway as Gwen and DJ had went on ahead.

“Sure, what’s up?” Noah shrugged.

He had never resented Trent for going for Cody, the guy just had eyes like Noah apparently. Sure, he’d been secretly pleased when they’d broken up, but he’d been right in his prediction that Trent would treat Cody well, and he had when they’d been together. The two were still close friends, and Noah wasn’t bitter about the situation.

“Just wanted to say I’m sorry about last year.” Trent rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish grin on his face. “It wasn’t cool of me to do that dude.”

“Do what?” Noah didn’t know what he was on about.

“To go with Cody, even though I knew you liked him, back at the hotel during Action.”

Noah’s face froze. He’d tried his best to keep his feelings a secret, but if the guy he’d been ‘competing’ with had clearly noticed his not so friendship-only feelings for Cody, then Cody must have himself. “I…” His throat felt clogged.

“It’s cool man, I had my chance, and we just didn’t work like that.” Trent continued, not picking up on Noah’s flustering. “Honestly, I think I’ve never really gotten over Gwen.” He smiled sadly. “You get me?”

“Yeah, I get you.” Noah sighed, knowing exactly what Trent felt by never really getting over someone. “You and Gwen worked; I’m sure you guys can sort it out again.” Noah smiled encouragingly at Trent.

“You and Cody too.” Trent replied. “You guys should give it a shot; I think you’d be perfect for each other.” Noah began to shake his head, but Trent put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t tell Cody this, but one of the reasons we broke up was because I was a bit jealous of you two.”

“Huh?”

“We’d be out on a date, and he’d be going on about something funny you’d said on skype the night before or something. Just, never really felt like he liked me half as much as he’s clearly into you.”

“He liked you a lot Trent.” Noah was defiant as usual. “Me and him, we had our little thing, I helped him come out to himself, and that’s it. We’re just good friends.”

There was a clatter downstairs, something being knocked over, and a cluster of loud voices. Noah sighed, hoping that wasn’t the TV.

“And how many times are you gonna keep telling yourself that Noah?” Trent looked at him with pity. “I really hope you guys sort it out.” He waved Noah off, heading down the stairway. 

~~~~

The next day was even busier, with the final lot arriving all before 5pm. They’d spent the day with some people exploring Vancouver, some helping Noah and Owen pick people up from the airport, or helping Cody and Izzy tidy up the house and hide away anything valuable or breakable. Noah’s mother kissed him on the cheek in front of all his friends before his family left, embarrassing him in front of all his friends.

“Make sure to behave!” Noah’s father called from the car.

“You’ll be a man when I get back.” His mother played with Noah’s cheek.

“I’ll be 18, not suddenly years ahead in maturity.” He snarked back, swatting her off.

“Keep the house intact please, see you in the new year. Bye kids!” Chandra hugged him once more, and then he was left with a house full of party supplies and 20 people. This was either going to be the best or worst night of Noah’s life.

When Noah retreated back into his house, he found that people were everywhere. It was all a bit overwhelming when he thought about it. Heather and Leshawna were arguing over what music to play, Owen was already working his way through the snacks, Bridgette and Geoff had taken over the sofa, making out, and Harold and Duncan were battling it out on Wii sports.

“You ok?”

“Hn?” Noah turned to see Cody had snuck up behind him.

“You look lost.” Cody commented.

“Nah, just wondering if I should take a painkiller now, before all the chaos gives me a migraine.” Noah said jokingly.

“Not a good idea if I you plan on drinking.” Cody chided, taking a hold of Noah’s wrist and tugging him into the living room. “C’mon, let’s team up and kick Duncan and Harold’s asses.”

Noah followed him with a smile on his face. They beat them.

“10, 9, 8, 7, 6…” Everyone chanted as the clock counted down to midnight, 2010 just seconds away. The group were all a little tipsy, all a little giggly and all in an amazing mood. Noah’s party had been going well, nothing was on fire or smashed yet, and he felt warm and giddy, the rum punch hitting the spot. Cody was pressed against him, where he had been for nearly an hour now, and as they counted down in the kitchen with the others, Noah realised that their fingers were laced together, hidden behind their backs.

“5,4,3…” Noah turned his head to see Cody grinning at him, his cheeks flushed.

“2, 1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!” The room erupted with cheer and laughter, a ruckus out in the streets outside, as people clapped and kissed each other, welcoming in the New Year with enthusiasm.

Noah was laughing at Owen as Izzy slammed him into the fridge to kiss him heavily, Leshawna tugging Harold down and Gwen sneaking a kiss to Trent’s cheek. He felt fingers on the back of his neck, and Noah’s smile widened as his head was turned to Cody’s, feeling him press their lips together.

Noah melted into the kiss, feeling the familiarity in Cody’s mouth as fizzy and exciting as ever, pulling him close as Cody looped his arms around Noah’s neck, deepening the kiss instead of pulling away like Noah had thought he would after the initial celebratory peck. Cody didn’t hold back, slipping his tongue between Noah’s teeth, scratching his nails down Noah’s neck, making him gasp. He’d forgotten about everyone else in the room until he heard a whoop and cheer.

“Woo! Get it nerds!” Duncan was a happy drunk, whistling at them as they broke apart.

“Shut it.” Noah said, his cheeks hot at having just did that in front of everyone. Cody didn’t seem to care, laughing along with Duncan and high-fiving Izzy.

“Guys, we’re playing spin the bottle, come join!” Katie and Sadie pulled everyone else into the living room, whether people wanted to or not.

“What is this, 6th grade?” Duncan groaned as he was pushed down into the circle between Courtney and Geoff.

“Agreed.” Noah never thought he’d say that, having the same thought as Duncan on something.

“Aww, c’mon it’s fun!” Izzy clawed at his shoulder. “Who spins first?”

“Me! Me!” Katie and Sadie argued, until Katie won, spinning the empty vodka bottle with vigour.

The game went on, Sadie getting to kiss Justin at last, until he spun, and it landed on Cody. Cody paled as the model crawled towards him, shooting a look of panic to Noah from across the circle. Noah watched with distaste as Justin sucked at Cody’s mouth like a dying fish, until the ten seconds were up, and Cody pushed him off abruptly. Noah could handle Cody and Trent fine, but seeing the way that Justin looked at Cody like he was nothing more than a notch in his belt made Noah feel sick.

“Mm, we can continue that again later. Just like last time.” Justin purred as he moved back to his seat, ignoring the glare Cody sent him.

“No thanks.” He bit back. “My turn.” He spun, and Noah twitched with anticipation, hoping it would be him. Luck wasn’t on his side, as he watched Cody and Heather kiss incredibly awkwardly for a moment, then Heather spinning and enjoying her kiss with Lindsay much more.

The game continued, Noah shared a few brief kisses with Eva, Owen and Tyler of all people. Cody only kissed one more person, Courtney, which was horrific for both of them. Noah stifled a laugh as Duncan and Harold were forced into kissing, with a lot of protest from both of the guys, then continued for nearly a whole minute once they got started, until Courtney screamed and pulled her boyfriend back. The two pretended to gag after the exchange and the circle howled with laughter.

People drifted away, getting bored with the game and continuing to do their own thing, Noah extracting himself from Beth’s drunk grip and headed to the garden with his cup of punch. He sat on the deck with Eva for a while, the two catching up in the quiet cold, until she shuffled back inside. Noah remained outside, pulling his hoodie in tighter as a chilly breeze ran through him, feeling a bit more sober. He was too lost in his thoughts and staring up at the clear sky that he hadn’t noticed he had company again.

“What are you still doing out here?” Cody sat down beside him.

“Stars are pretty.” Noah answered simply.

Cody leant back on his hands and did the same, casting his gaze to the skies above. “True.”

“So you did hook up with Justin then?” Noah tried to sound joking, but it accidentally came out more like an accusation.

Cody squinted at him for a moment, a perplexed expression on his face. “Yeah.” He answered at last. “It sucked though.” He said with half a smile.

“Really?” Noah let out a little laugh. Mr muscles and hotness wasn’t good then? “He seems the type to be good at it.”

“Pfft nah.” Cody giggled. “He was so stiff and dull, and so selfish, he was only focused on making himself feel good.”

“Sounds about right.” Noah smirked.

“And drooly.” Cody continued. “He kisses sooooo wet!”

“It looked it earlier, I felt bad for you.” Noah laughed along with him. “Sorry to ask, was he your first? Because that is a sucky experience for a first time.”

“No?” Cody looked at Noah with confusion again. “Uh, I thought you were.” He said bashfully, rubbing the back of his head.

“I meant first time, not first kiss.” Noah said simply.

“Yeah, I know. But like, I kinda just figured what we did in the hotel room was my first time. Didn’t you?” He sounded unsure.

“Uhh.” Noah was floored. Cody had been considering him his first this whole time? Actually that sounded a hell of a lot better than counting Nikos in the back of a tour bus. “I don’t know. What’s the definition?”

“I don’t know?” Cody shrugged. “I just figured, once you’ve been naked and uh orgasmed with someone, it meant sex, even if you weren’t, uh…in…. them…” He was mumbling, stuttering on his words. 

“Yeah that makes sense.” Noah could get on board with that logic. “Then yeah ok, you were my first too.”

“Cool.” Cody grinned at him stupidly.

“But wouldn’t you rather count it as Trent?” He knew Cody had done stuff with him, and he also had no idea why he was bringing it up. Stupid alcohol.

“Nah.” Cody shrugged. “I prefer to think of it as being you.”

Noah didn’t know what to say to that. He was flattered and confused all at once. Cody took his silence the wrong way though. “I mean, I can count it as Trent if that’s what you’d prefer!” He stammered.

“No, I’m good with it.” Noah gripped Cody’s arm without thinking. He felt Cody shiver at the touch. “Cold?”

“Yeah…” Cody said softly, leaning in closer to Noah.

Noah tugged him in flush against him, wrapping his arms around Cody without hesitation. He’d given up wondering how they always got into these situations. Cody slung his legs over Noah’s lap again, nuzzling his face into Noah’s shoulder.

“You love doing that.” Noah laughed, more to himself than anything.

“Doing what?” Cody murmured, his lips against Noah’s skin.

“Putting your legs over me or sitting in my lap.” Noah replied.

“Oh. Sorry, it’s comfy.” Cody went to shuffle off, but Noah held his thigh, keeping him in place. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No.”

“Ok.” Cody remained in place. “Sorry about kissing you at the bells, heat of the moment y’know.” He laughed nervously.

“It’s cool, nobody cares, or will remember it by tomorrow.” Noah stroked lightly against the Cody’s knee.

“True.” Cody said quietly, hardly loud enough for Noah to hear. “Shame we had to stop.”

“Mm.” Noah hummed in agreement, lifting his head to meet Cody in a kiss again, knowing exactly how this was going to end, and it was inevitable tonight.

The kissed for what felt forever, Noah lost in the feeling, any trace of cold within him gone as Cody pressed flush against him, the kiss deep and slow. Nobody came to bother them, and Noah couldn’t stop, savouring every kiss and moan from Cody, each a reminder of just how much he had missed this, missed him. The kiss became heated, Cody sliding against him, dragging his teeth against Noah’s mouth. Noah couldn’t believe that Cody was still wanting to do this with him, after all this time.

“Can we go to your room?” Cody asked huskily into his ear.

A shiver ran down Noah’s spine, and it wasn’t from it being zero degrees outside. “Ye…yeah.” He gasped out.

“You sure? I need you to want this too.” Cody sat back, cupping Noah’s face.

“I do. I want you.” Noah said breathlessly. “Just hard to find the words when you’re sucking on my ear like that.” He smirked.

Cody grinned back at him, leaving one last nip to his earlobe before standing and pulling Noah to his feet. They practically ran back into the house, Cody’s fingers linked with his own. They passed a couple of people, but Noah couldn’t recall who, too fixated on the look of pure lust that Cody shot him as they got to the staircase.

Cody shoved him against the wall in the hallway on the way to the bedroom, hands dug into the beltloops of Noah’s jeans, kissing him senseless. Noah had never felt so wanted in his life, as Cody kissed his jaw, Noah’s hands fisted in the back of Cody’s shirt.

“Oh, sorry!” Owen yelped from the top of the stairs, having followed the two, but Noah shooed him away from over Cody’s shoulder. Cody’s laughter sounded golden as he pulled Noah into his bedroom, slamming the door behind them both, returning his lips to Noah’s.

“Woah, getting some birthday fun, eh Noah?”

Noah yelped and turned the light on, seeing Bridgette and Geoff sat on his bed, busy with their own smooching by the looks of it.

“Out!” Noah chocked at the cowboy and the surfer chic, making them both chuckle and get up.

“Be safe kiddos!” Geoff called out as Noah shoved him out the door, ignoring the smirk from Bridgette as she followed her boyfriend.

“Uh…” He turned to Cody, hoping the moment wasn’t ruined.

Cody caught his lips with his own again, making Noah smile into the kiss. This felt familiar and delightful, something he had dreamed of for months. He ran a hand through Cody’s hair, tugging lightly at the tufts at the base of his neck, making Cody gasp against him. They made their way to the bed, Cody’s legs hitting the edge and falling backwards, pulling Noah down on top of him, never once breaking the kiss. Noah got to work on Cody’s neck, kissing with vigour and attention as he let Cody unbutton his shirt, shaking out of the sleeves as Cody fumbled to get his own off.

As soon as he was shirtless, Noah sunk down onto Cody’s torso, licking and nipping at the flushed skin, making Cody moan in delight. He felt Cody wrap his legs tight around Noah’s back, a fist in his long hair as he made a hicky against Cody’s ribs, feeling magnificent at Cody’s obvious pleasure.

_“Take that Justin!”_ Noah mentally smirked to himself.

He knew he was better than Justin, now he just wanted to prove that he could outshine Trent too, as illogical as that seemed. He wanted to take Cody to pieces with his mouth, make him think of no one else but Noah, no matter how selfish that made him sound.

He pawed at the waistband of Cody’s jeans, his mouth dipping lower, tongue tracing against Cody’s navel and prominent hipbones. He glanced up to Cody, seeking permission to go further. Cody met his eyes, nodding enthusiastically for Noah to go ahead. With a quick kiss to the dip of Cody’s stomach, he unbuttoned Cody’s jeans, pulling them down his thighs. Cody almost kneed him in the face as he kicked them off all the way, arching up onto his back to shirk off his boxers too.

Noah sat back, taking off his own trousers and underwear, watching Cody breathe heavily on his bed. That was an image he was going to savour forever.

“Noah…” Cody moaned, sitting up on his elbows to lure him back in.

Noah kissed him quickly, lining up their bodies together, shaking at the contact of skin between them both. It was even hotter than last time, and maybe it was because he knew now how much he adored the other.

“I’m gonna make you feel so good.” Noah said against Cody’s lips, the vibrations making them both tingle.

“Mm after.” Cody smirked at him, gripping Noah tightly by the shoulders and flipping them. “It’s your birthday, remember? Tonight is all for you.” He purred, and what little bit of blood left in Noah’s brain flooded south, his dick harder than ever.

“Lay it on me then Casanova.” Noah laughed, lapping up the attention as Cody slid down the bed, gripping Noah’s thighs fiercely.

Noah moaned loudly when Cody’s mouth licked against the tip of his penis, making Cody laugh lightly, his breath tickling the exposed member and making Noah slap a hand to his mouth, trying to contain his pleasure. He had never felt so good.

“Ok to continue?” Cody asked, looking up at him from his spot between Noah’s legs.

“Yes, jeez, yes.” Noah gasped as Cody palmed his sack, a tongue darting along his length.

“Just making sure you’re into this.” Cody teased, pressing feather light kisses against his thighs, making Noah grind up into him.

“Is it not obvious I am?” Noah groaned.

“Just making sure!” Cody answered in a cheery, sing-song tone. With one last devious smirk to Noah, he wrapped his lips around Noah’s dick, taking him in his mouth, sliding his tongue against all of him.

Noah scrunched his fingers into the sheets beneath him, doing his best not to thrust too hard into Cody’s face as he sucked and played with Noah’s member, being far too good at this for Noah to think it was his first time. Fuck it, Noah didn’t care, he was half tempted to thank Trent tomorrow for giving Cody the practice, because this felt out of this world. He felt like he was teetering on the edge of heaven, Cody’s mouth expertly moving to every inch of Noah, his head bobbing in tandem, a hand cupping Noah’s ass, the other gripping Noah’s thigh with just the right amount of pressure.

Noah felt ready to let go, and he glanced down, meeting Cody’s shiny teal eyes, and that was it, he couldn’t hold on a second longer, gasping out as he reached maximum pleasure, spilling over the edge. Cody stayed where he was, and the sight of Cody like that made Noah cry out in pleasure. As he fell back onto the covers, Cody climbed on top of him, wiping his mouth like pornstar, ignoring Noah’s hot liquid against his legs.

“Woah…” Noah couldn’t help it, that was possibly the best thing to ever happen to him.

“Thanks!” Cody grinned at him, then leant down to kiss Noah again, and it didn’t matter that it was probably the fiftieth time at this point, it just felt better and better.

“Mmm.” Noah moaned against him, feeling pliant and flushed, kissing Cody deeply, the salty taste in his mouth perplexing but not unwelcome. “Your turn.” He said cheekily, stroking Cody’s still hard member between them.

“Kay.” Cody laughed breathlessly, propping himself up against the pillows. “What do you want to do?”

“The same.” Noah kissed him once more, and Cody nodded enthusiastically.

Noah slid down, his heart hammering, nervous but excited that he was finally getting to do this. He had never done this with anyone else, he hadn’t bothered with Nikos. Sure, he knew the logistics, but he wanted to be outstanding, make Cody melt. As long as he did it like Cody had, he should be ok.

Noah tried his best to mimic the moves that Cody had put on him, paying attention to Cody’s inner thighs, his balls, the tip of his penis. Cody quivered beneath him as he sucked lightly, his dick slim and slick in Noah’s mouth, careful when he dragged his teeth against the head. Cody panted, and Noah did the trick again, feeling Cody’s blood pumping as he hit climax, orgasming. Noah tried to take it all like Cody had, but he chocked, accidently spitting half of it out. Cody didn’t seem to care, eyes shut and a look of pure contentment on his lips. Noah reached around on the floor under his bed, trying to find the box of tissues he hid from his mother, snagging it and handing some to Cody.

Cody cleaned himself up, not saying a word, and for a moment, Noah was worried that it had all just hit Cody what they’d done, again. And that he was regretting it immediately. Noah finished up and slid his boxers back on, sitting on the side of the bed, sneaking a glance to Cody.

“Happy birthday.” Cody smiled at him, tipping Noah’s chin towards him and kissing him softly.

Noah smiled gently into the kiss, relaxing at the touch. They seemed to be ok. “Happy New Year’s.” He mumbled back. “Might wanna put your underwear back on, Owen and Izzy could come bounding in anytime.” He said, with a hand on Cody’s bare thigh.

“Mm, true.” Cody chuckled and redressed, adding on Noah’s shirt for good measure. “Oh, it’s your one from last night, sorry.” He went to take it off, but Noah stopped him.

“I don’t mind you wearing it. Unless it smells bad, then yeah, go ahead.”

Cody sniffed it quickly and shrugged. “Just smells like you.” He said with a stupid smile.

“Oh, ok.” Noah felt his heart hammering at that, something primal in him overjoyed at Cody wearing his clothes, smelling like him. God, he sounded like a freak, but he didn’t care when Cody looked that cute.

“Come sleep.” Cody said, staring at him with doe eyes, and no way could Noah resist that.

The pair of them slid under the covers, and Noah could feel his body relaxing onto his plush mattress, the pillows urging him to slumber. Now that they were done, he felt exhausted, his body sore but pleasant, and his eyes heavy. Cody seemed to be in the same spot, fighting back sleep as he lay side by side with Noah, finding it hard to keep his eyes open.

The party seemed to be dying down in the rest of the house, people heading to bedrooms and the music dimming. Noah didn’t care about that right now, all he cared about was the boy in his bed, holding his hand and smiling syrupy sweetly at him.

“Ok?” Cody whispered, shaking Noah out of his thoughts.

“Mm yeah.” Noah answered. “I feel awesome actually.”

Cody laughed quietly at that. “Same.” He kissed Noah on the nose, soft and gentle as a butterfly. “Night Noah.”

“Night Cody.” Noah didn’t know what they were, still, but he hoped they could talk soon. He leant forward, kissing Cody’s eyebrow and snaking an arm around his waist, pulling him close as they drifted off to sleep.

~~~~

Noah woke groggily, feeling something press against his legs on top of the sheets, and for a second, he went to pet his Labrador, until he panicked, remembering that his parents had taken her with them when they left.

He sat up, blinking in the early morning light, his head a little sore, feeling it was far too early, but his eyes bulged wide when he saw what had awoken him.

“AAARGH!” Noah screamed hoarsely, yanking his legs up to his chin, waking everyone else in the room.

“Mommy?” Owen sat up like a zombie, knocking Izzy onto the floor, making her glare up at Noah, obviously not pleased at being woken up either.

“Huh?” Cody pulled himself up onto his elbows, wiping the sleep from his eyes, seeing Noah clutching the sheets to his mostly still naked body and eyes wide. “It’s just me, don’t you remember last night?” Cody bit his lip, worried that Noah had forgotten and was freaking out.

“Not you!” Noah cried in exasperation and pointed to the end of the bed. “Him!”

“Hey, can you keep it down eh?” Ezekiel glowered at the two, curled up like a pup on the end of Noah’s bed.

“Why the hell are you on the bed?!” Cody cried, joining in on the panic.

“And how long have you been in this room?” Noah said at the same time.

“Don’t worry, you guys were done having sex when I came in, I heard you in the hallway but I waited until you guys were asleep before I came in.” Ezekiel said like that was totally normal.

“What the hell?” Noah kicked out at the home-schooled kid, wanting him OUT.

“Oh hey Zeke.” Izzy greeted him normally.

“You guys had sex? Heh heh Noah!” Owen was missing the point, giggling at his best friend.

“Not the matter right now!” Noah protested. “Get out!”

“But I haven’t got anywhere else to sleep!” Ezekiel whined.

“Don’t care. Didn’t we give you the sofa?”

“Yeah, but Harold and Duncan were in there, still arguing at like 5am, so I couldn’t sleep.”

“Urgh, they’re probably done now, go away.” Cody gagged, flopping back down onto the pillow and prodding Zeke with his toes.

“Nu-uh.” Ezekiel lay back down.

“Right, that’s it, you can’t go breaking our privacy like this. If you weren’t half way around the country from your barn, I would throw you out onto the street.” Noah climbed out of bed, his noodle arms attempting to pull the weird kid off his bed while Cody drifted back off to sleep, always a heavy sleeper. “Owen, help me.”

“Ok, buddy!” Owen leapt into action, hefting Ezekiel over his shoulder. “C’mon, guy, sofa’s waiting!” Noah pushed a box of books in front of the door as soon as Owen had thrown him out.

“Freak.” Noah grimaced, climbing back into bed, Cody already out cold.

“You guys did it huh?” Izzy cackled at him, her eyes shining in the early morning light.

“Shut up. I don’t say anything when you two get it on.” Noah turned his back to his friends, returning his arm around Cody’s sleeping form.

~~~~

New Year’s Day was slow and lazy, everyone waking late and ordering in breakfast.

Noah and Cody didn’t speak about the night before, and nobody else really brought it up, making fun of Duncan and Harold’s make out session instead, partly just because it made Courtney so angry. Some people caught a flight or bus home, others watched TV and the less hungover group went out around Vancouver. Cody slept half the day away, so it wasn’t like Noah had much of a chance to say anything. He figured it would be best to talk when nobody was about anyway.

The next day was the last of the stragglers leaving and Noah’s family returning. Cody and Gwen had a flight that evening, the last to leave, and Noah was tense with nerves on what he would say. His mother seemed to pick up on the mood between them, not teasing her son too much for once.

Noah had woken up that morning, Cody slumped over him still, drooling into his shoulder. Noah lay still, doing nothing but breathing lightly into Cody’s hair, his arms wrapped tight around the other’s waist. His heart was churning, knowing tonight was going to hurt, seeing Cody go again. He just wanted a moment to appreciate this, to pretend that this could be every day and that Cody was his.

The drive to the airport was in almost silence, Cody staring out of the window, his leg pressed against Noah’s. Noah and Owen said their goodbyes to Gwen, and she began checking in, glaring at Owen to follow her. Cody had a few tears when Noah’s mother kissed him on the cheek goodbye.

“You’re welcome anytime darling.” Chandra papped him on the cheek softly. “You’ve been a wonderful guest. Please visit again soon, and if you ever need anywhere to stay or someone to talk to, don’t hesitate to call me ok?” She wiped away one of Cody’s tears. Noah picked up on the ‘call me’, not call Noah part. His mom really had taken a shining to Cody. 

“I will. Thank you for making me feel so at home Chandra.” Cody hugged her hard, and Noah’s heart hurt at the sight, knowing full well that this was probably the most motherly attention Cody had had in years.

“I’ll meet you over with the others.” Chandra wiped her eyes, kissing Cody’s cheek one last time before she headed off in the direction of Owen and Gwen, leaving the pair alone for the first time in ages.

“So…” Noah scratched the back of his head, unsure what to say.

“Gonna miss you.” Cody didn’t hesitate and wrapped his arms around Noah, his face pressed into Noah’s shoulder.

“I’ll come see you during spring break if I can get the time off, yeah?” Noah promised, resting his chin on top of Cody’s head.

“Mmkay.” Cody mumbled, keeping his face melded into Noah’s shoulder.

“Or come back here, I think my mom would be overjoyed at you staying.” Noah tugged him away gently, cupping Cody’s face and making him laugh.

“I think I’m gonna miss your mom and whole family a lot too, is that weird?” Cody brought his hands to Noah’s, stroking lightly.

“No, pretty sweet actually.” Noah grinned, feeling a burst of pride that his family had impressed Cody so much.

“It’s just, it was really nice to be back in a house that was so lively.” Cody rambled, looking away. “Where you all genuinely care for each other.”

Noah was silent for a minute, knowing how much it was hurting Cody to go back to a cold house with crazy parents. If he could keep Cody here, happy in Vancouver, he would. He’d take him out for ice cream and to the shore and the islands, show him the comic book stores and the movie complex, and kiss him softly each night. But unfortunately, Cody hadn’t graduated early like he had, and still had to get back to life in small-town Quebec.

“We’ll all still be here when summer starts, and you can come back. For good if you want.” Noah responded at last.

“You don’t have to promise things you don’t mean, it’s ok.” Cody turned his head away.

“I know.” Noah stroked his cheek gently. “So I’m still promising it, because I do mean it. Apartment by the ocean with Owen and Izzy too, remember?”

“True.” Cody giggled at that at least. “Until summer then.” He wrapped his arms back around Noah’s neck, hugging him close.

“Until then.” Noah murmured into his neck. He didn’t ever want to let Cody go.

Cody leant back, and Noah knew they had to talk, this was something that was trying to burst out of him, express everything he had felt for this other boy for a year and a half. Maybe an airport terminal wasn’t where he’d planned to do it, but hey, there were worse places.

Cody held his gaze, basically no space between their faces. Surely it was obvious to Cody?

Cody held Noah’s chin in his fingertips, brushing their lips together for a moment. Noah felt the tears in his throat as he kissed Cody back softly, softer than he’d ever kissed anyone before.

The moment was broken as a bright flash and click of a camera startled them both. They broke apart, seeing a man in a baseball cap and jacket, a professional camera photographing them.

“Fuck…” Cody whispered. “Tabloids.”

Noah panicked, and the look of pure dread on Cody’s face said the same.

“Can you do that again boys? This will make bank.” The creep rattled off to them.

“Delete that!” Noah yelled at the man. He was in deep shit, part of his contract with Chris involved staying out of the public eye. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, I am screwed if my parents see that.” Cody was hyperventilating, clutching his hair.

Noah lurched for the man, who had sensed that they wouldn’t be co-operating and backed up, grinning like a psycho. He didn’t care about what that picture could do to them, he just cared about his dirty pay check. Thankfully, he was too caught up in trying to dodge Noah trying to grab at his camera that he hadn’t noticed Owen sidling up behind him and crashing into the cameraman, belly first.

“Hey!” The pressman gasped as he was knocked to the ground by Owen’s girth, his camera falling out of his hands and shattering on the floor. “You have to pay for that!” He cried.

“No way.” Owen replied. “You dropped it.”

Noah took his chance, snatching the mess of a camera and unpacking the memory card.

“Give that back kid, I’m warning you.” He growled to Noah.

“Gimmie it.” Gwen had came back, a menacing look on her face.

Noah’s mother and Cody stood to the side, Chandra had her arm around the freaked-out boy, and some passers-by looked on in amusement at a grown man and a group of teens.

Noah passed the card to her, trusting Gwen. She didn’t disappoint, biting into it with ferocity and snapping the card in two with the force. The man cried out as she tossed the shattered plastic into the bin.

“Teach you to take pictures of teens you freak.” She said with disdain, turning away from him.

Security had made its way to the ruckus and started to move the man out, and Noah went back to Cody.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.” He tried to reason.

“It’s…the pictures gone, it’s ok.” Cody breathed heavily. They were interrupted by the tannoy declaring their flight was nearing, and Noah knew they had to get a move on, get them through baggage.

“C’mon Cody.” Gwen patted his arm gently, the group following.

When Cody was heading for his gate, he had calmed a little, but still seemed skittery, his eyes darting about for more cameramen. Noah felt depressed, he knew there was no way he would be able to confess right now, and the thought of doing it over a computer made him upset. But better than nothing. Gwen and Cody hugged them all again as they left, but no more goodbye kisses, Cody’s hug to Noah only a fraction longer than his ones with the others, but Noah understood.

They drove back in silence, tears in Noah’s eyes even as they dropped Owen off on the way home.

“I’m sorry baby, you’ll see him again soon.” Chandra hugged Noah when they got back to the house, mouthing at her husband to leave them be. Noah couldn’t find the words to voice what he was feeling, a lump in his throat, so he simply nodded, climbing the stairs with his dog following.

Noah wasn’t in the mood for socialising the rest of the night, climbing into bed and waiting on a text from Cody.

\------------ 

Noah had a quick text from Cody that night, saying he was back home and going to sleep, and that he’d speak properly tomorrow, and then Noah woke up to his emails going insane.

The kiss hadn’t been posted, but there were plenty other drama blogs and magazines going insane about their hugging, and other pictures from the airport, as well as witness’s claiming they’d seen a kiss. People were commenting and speculating about everything, and Noah had a long screaming match with Chris over the phone, almost losing his job. It wasn’t that he’d been caught kissing a dude, it was because Noah was supposed to be flying under the radar right now, that working for Chris was supposed to be a secret. And if they caught Noah and Cody, they were probably going to follow him around for a bit and see him with Chris and Chef.

Noah sighed, sending a text to Cody if he’d been online yet and if he was ok. His phone beeped with a reply surprisingly quickly, only a few minutes later and Noah’s heart leapt into his throat, anxious of Cody’s reaction

“ _Do not message my son again.”_

Noah’s heart sank, knowing that it was going to be radio silence for a while again, that Cody was likely in a lot of trouble, and it had all been because of Noah. He felt the guilt settle in, calling Owen to come over and vent.

~~~~

Noah didn’t hear from Cody for another three weeks, his profiles not updating and offline on gaming, as well as no calls or texts. Finally Noah got a letter in the mail, a couple of pages of Cody’s scrawled writing making his heart flutter.

God, he had it bad for the guy.

Mostly, it was just Cody explaining what Noah already knew, that his parent’s had freaked about the pictures and taken away his electronics again and grounded him, chaperoning him to and from school so he couldn’t even go to the post office for weeks. He didn’t say anything about how he felt for Noah or what they were, and Noah wiped at his eyes, tired and emotionally exhausted. It was probably for the best to just leave it be, at least for now.

At least Cody had put an address for him to send a reply to, the local post office instead of his home address, and Noah quickly drafted an answer, asking Cody if he’d be at the Awards ceremony in mid-February with the rest of the cast. He messaged Gwen to talk to her about the situation as well, and she promised to go visit him that weekend.

Noah went back to his busy, high-flying job, sorting Chris Mclean’s life out from the side-lines, seeing way too much about the presenter and the chef’s relationship than he’d ever thought he would, not forgetting about Cody, but finding plenty of distractions. The Gemmie awards couldn’t come fast enough.

\------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There they go.
> 
> Noah's heart breaks I don't know how many times through the course of this. Yay!


	3. Celebrity Manhunt Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gemmie Awards have arrived, but they spend a few days crashed in the desert and stargazing.

It was early March, and the Gemmie awards had certainly been a ride.

All in the space of a few hours, Noah had been fired, and then reunited with the rest of the cast, as well the addition of a crazy Cody obsessed fan/presenter. They’d lost in the ‘Best Ensemble’ category, and they were back to being nobodies. Noah was secretly relieved at that, instead his rage was targeted at Chris for just tossing him away like he was yesterday’s trash, no recognition for all his hard work!  
Then it had gotten even worse. The new girl, Sierra, had convinced them all to get in DJ’s bus and drive through the night to New York City for the Orpah show, creating some high-speed chase with the members of the Dirtbags bus like this was a Fast and Furious movie. Whichever idiots let Courtney drive and let Duncan be unsupervised needed a punch in the face, as the on-off couples stupid making out had led to them all almost dying, falling off a cliff and totalling the bus.

“And then when I come back, we will partayyyy!” Geoff danced enthusiastically. He didn’t seem too banged up after the crash and was grouping together people to join him on a search party.  
Noah considered for half a second about going with the cowboy, but then Justin agreed to go along, and the momentum went right out of the metaphorical window. Instead, he settled against the base of the clifftop, his bones sore from being crushed under Owen and whoever else had used him as a cushion during the crash. Noah was only half paying attention as other’s jumped in on Geoff’s offer, and Bridgette setting down a towel with her top missing a few feet away from him. Noah heard her call back that she’d rather stay and sunbathe, as he lay down onto his side and held his head up with his hand when he felt Cody sit down next to him, cross legged and wincing. Courtney and Duncan also sat down a few feet away from them, seemingly happy with each other again.

“Who am I to come between a hottie and her rays? Let’s go guys!” Geoff shrugged it off, leading his troupe of Katie and Sadie, Trent, Justin and for some reason, DJ’s mama off down the canyon into the beyond.  
Noah was quite happy where he was, the others chatting around him, exclaiming about their near-death experience. Cody didn’t speak directly to him, his back against the wall and his arms crossed, but there was nothing strange between them, it was companionable silence. Occasionally he would join in the conversation, and Noah contributed when he felt like it, making Cody snicker at his sarcasm a few times. Noah kept his smile to himself, his insides melting at just being back in Cody’s company, that even though they were stranded in the middle of nowhere with no help in sight, he could just lay back and bask in Cody’s magnetic aura. Noah felt himself drifting off to sleep as the sun began to set, the stony ground irrelevant compared to how tired he was after being up for nearly 48 hours straight. As long as it didn’t end up like the awake-a-thon, he wasn’t too fussed how he slept.

He jinxed himself, it was just the same as the first week of Island.

Noah awoke to searing heat and vultures cawing above him. His neck felt like he’d been stabbed, and his spine felt ready to snap. The toll of sleeping on desert rock had hit him at last, and Noah groaned, ready to sit up and complain, but a sleeping Cody stopped him. They’d resumed their position on Island, Cody using his arm as a pillow, and Noah had his knees tucked behind Cody’s, his hand resting gently at the others waist. After everything between them, he still cringed for a moment, panicking that Cody would wake up in a moment and run off and scream again.

“Hey…Hey Noah. Psst!”  
Noah prised himself up awkwardly onto his free elbow, trying his best to not shake too much and wake Cody up. He looked too cute right now.  
“What?” Noah whispered to his best friend, Owen a few metres from him, hunched on his knees.  
“Want a granola bar?” Owen offered.  
Noah blinked at him, trying to process what was going on. Geoff still hadn’t found help? “Where’s Geoff and the others?” Noah edged his arm out from under Cody and accepted Owen’s contraband.  
“Still not back.” Owen munched on his own bar. “But I’m sure it’ll be fine!”  
“Mm, or we’ll die alone in the middle of nowhere.” Noah grinned at him. He was mostly just trying to freak out Owen, but a niggling little pinch of worry began to seep in, what if they really did die here? Surely Geoff will come back, or even Chris and Chef?  
“Don’t say that!” Owen wailed, making Cody mumble back something in his sleep, and wriggle around uncomfortably.  
Noah took pity on him, Cody’s face smudgy with dirt and dust, so Noah lifted his head gently, laying him down again with his head in Noah’s lap. He was a better pillow than gravel and beetles. Cody didn’t wake, but the soft smile had returned to his lips.  
“Cute!” Owen giggled at him. “Have you talked to him yet?”  
“Shut up!” Noah hissed, trying to keep their voices low and not let Cody hear this conversation he did not want to have for the hundredth time. “No…I might if we live.” He answered honestly. He did still want to see what Cody felt for him. At least that was something to aim for.  
“Ok buddy!” Owen left it at that, taking Noah’s empty wrapper and hiding it in his shorts, before tossing another to Noah to keep for later, a finger to his lips in secrecy.

The day passed in boredom, some of the others raking through the bus and finding either a few snack foods to keep them going, or useless things to amuse themselves with. Noah read one of DJ’s mother’s romance books, hating the fake, flowery words, but it was better than nothing. Owen and Izzy snuck off, saying they were going to explore the area, but he knew they were just heading off to makeout. At least they had the decency to do it somewhere in private, Noah had already screamed at Courtney and Duncan to tone it down, his eyes burning from the PDA. He chatted occasionally with Cody, but mostly the other drifted between the others, playing a card game with Leshawna, Harold and Heather, or giggling with Gwen and Bridgette about something secret.

Another night fell, and Noah was beginning to get antsy. Others had drifted off to sleep again, but there was a cloud of desperation beginning to hang above them all, the worry that they really had been forgotten. The food supply was basically all out at this point, and Noah was so tempted to eat that secret granola bar but knew he should hold onto it for a little longer. He sat at the campfire, his hands under his chin, weary and sore with Owen telling him some gross joke opposite him, before he decided that was enough, he was going to crash. Noah made his way back to his spot by the clifftop, a decent distance from where the others were congregating, and he hoped Cody would follow soon and they could talk or even just cuddle a bit more. He drifted off to sleep before Cody came back.

Noah was shook awake by something moving against him, and Noah internally freaked for a moment, thinking it was a wild animal coming to eat him. Instead, he saw the back of Cody’s shirt, the other sitting up and hobbling off towards the bus. Noah yawned, realising that Cody must have snuggled up against him again without Noah even noticing, but had decided to go back to where most of the others were snoozing, in front of the bus and by the warmth of the fire. Noah watched Cody skirt around the makeshift camp instead and dart behind the bus, the pitch-black darkness claiming him as he disappeared from view.  
Noah frowned, curious at what Cody was up to, and stood, following after the other. They didn’t know what was out there, there had been creepy animal calls all night and Noah was worried for the other. He cast one last look to the others, seeing everybody flat out and snoring, before he rounded the bus, trying to pin-point Cody’s form in the shadows.

“Cody?” He whispered, hoping it was loud enough for the other to hear.  
“Yeah?” Noah heard him, but couldn’t see the other, blinking and trying to decipher the other from the rocks. He heard a zipping sound and shuffling, before a shadow moved a few feet from him. “Sorry, I had to pee.”  
“Oh.” Noah felt like a creep now. “I thought you were running off.” He admitted as Cody came into view, albeit shadowy and blurred, but there was enough moonlight and faded glow from the campfire on the other side of the bus to at least make out his features.  
Cody let out an airy laugh. “To where? Area 51?” He joked.  
“I don’t know.” Noah bristled, pissed at himself for being such a worry-wort. “Let’s go back to the others.” He reached for Cody’s wrist to pull him back to the other side of the bus, but Cody held his ground, instead tugging for Noah to follow him.  
“No, let’s stay a bit.” It was hard to see, but Noah could hear the grin in his tone. “C’mon, there’s a flat bit of rock we can sit on over there, look at all these constellations!” Cody looked up to the onyx sky, and Noah followed his gaze, admitting that it sure was pretty.  
Cody took his silence as agreement and lead him towards the place he’d mentioned.  
“So what, you want us to sit in your pee as we stargaze?” Noah said sarcastically, letting himself be pushed down onto a chunk of rock the size of a bench.  
“Oh shut up, I went over there.” Cody jolted his elbow out somewhere to his left. “Now be quiet and look at the stars with me.”  
Cody lay down on his back, and Noah followed suit, his heart hammering when he realised Cody had shaken his wrist out from Noah’s grip and replaced it with his hand. “Ok.” Noah whispered.

Truthfully, Noah’s focus wasn’t fully on the sky above them. He sneaked a glance to the boy lying beside him, finding his twitchy features and sharp face more enticing than some balls of gas light years away. Cody was pressed tightly against him, feeling the chill of the night. Noah knew deserts were often cold at night, a drastic shift from the day temperatures, and he was selfishly glad of it right now, making it a perfect excuse to wriggle around until Cody was laying mostly on top of him again, flat on his back, and Noah took the chance to wrap his arms around Cody’s waist, their fingers still linked together resting on Cody’s stomach.

“Here, I’ll sit up, I bet that rock isn’t comfortable for you.” Cody whispered after a while, getting up.  
Noah’s spine was killing him, but he wanted the warmth of Cody again, sitting up too and pressing himself into Cody’s back. Cody let out a giggle, but didn’t comment, pulling Noah’s arms back around himself. They remained in silence, even though it was hard for Cody to see the stars now in this position, and Noah had his eyes shut, his chin resting on Cody’s shoulder.  
“Hey.” Cody said, poking at Noah’s forearm.  
“Hnn.” Noah was almost asleep, in total bliss right now, even during their current circumstances. He wouldn’t want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with anyone else. He guessed that Cody wanted to head back and he went to move away but Cody stopped him.  
“You awake?” Cody kept him in place, a hand reaching up to tap lightly on Noah’s cheek.  
“Yeah.” Noah answered quietly. He felt like he was off in a dream right now. “Just hanging out. Want me to let go?”  
“No.” Cody replied, his fingers tracing lightly still on Noah’s face.

Noah held his breath, hoping this was going to be another one of those moments. True to form, Cody sensed the mood and tilted his head perfectly to kiss Noah’s cheekbone lightly. Noah smiled at him, his eyes still shut, and Cody did it again, lower and almost to his lips. Noah reached up, cupping Cody’s face and his arm tight at the others waist, kissing him fully. Cody twisted in his hold to face him better, surprisingly keeping his legs on the rock for once and not in Noah’s lap, kissing Noah back gently.  
Noah savoured the moment. Could he ask for a more picture-perfect moment? The stars above them and Cody pliant in his arms, he knew this was what heaven would feel like. Forget angels and pearly gates or whatever it was in the western movies, this was his Nirvana, his happy place. Even if Cody was just playing him, he didn’t care, he believed that everything will be ok when they were like this. He felt like they were in paradise, not some dusty canyon miles from civilisation and help.  
Cody kissed him deeply and slowly, not too harsh or lustful, like he was interested only in the taste of Noah, not only about getting off. Noah wanted to convey all his feelings for Cody in the movement of his lips, hoping that would be enough, that Cody would finally get the message. He kissed Cody like he could translate two years-worth of daydreams and hopes, late night wanting and early morning text messages, all just through the brush of their lips.

Cody tensed, and for a moment Noah faltered, thinking he’d accidentally said that all out loud, and suddenly he wasn’t feeling so brave. But then Cody pulled back and Noah’s heart really started to hammer in his chest, loosening his grip on Cody’s waist.  
If he wanted to go, he could go. Noah wouldn’t stop him.

“Noah…” Cody began to speak, still sitting between Noah’s legs, but no longer with his hands on the others face, and Noah felt his throat tighten, waiting for the inevitable rejection. Instead, Cody laughed quietly for a moment, albeit nervously sounding, then shook his head, going back in to kiss Noah some more.  
Noah stopped him though, a finger to his lips. “What? What’s up? You stopped and looked lost for a minute.” Noah didn’t want him to do anything he didn’t want to do; he’d better not be kissing Noah just because he knew that’s what Noah wanted.  
“It’s…just funny.” Cody answered.  
Noah squinted at him in confusion, hurt that the thought of kissing him was so hilarious. Cody read his expression and corrected himself. “Not funny like haha funny, that I’m kissing you. Just…interesting, I guess. Unexpected. Like, when I woke up to you sleep kissing my ear almost two years ago, I never would have thought we’d be here now, stuck behind a bus far from home and gladly making out with each other.” Cody smiled softly at Noah.  
Noah got what he meant really. Jeez, even when they kissed for the first time on the docks, he had thought it would just be a one-time thing. Now, he’d lost count of how many times he’d felt the others lips against his own, and he’d never expected them to go even further. “Yeah, I think I know what you mean.” He returned the smile.  
“I’m very ok with it though.” Cody pressed their foreheads together and linked their hands.  
That made the butterflies in Noah’s stomach flutter. “Me too.” He murmured, making Cody grin and connect their lips again, the kisses returning.

Like it usually went, the kissing got dirtier, messier, as time went on. Noah had no idea how long they’d been away from the others, and he didn’t care, not when Cody’s tongue was licking patterns on his neck, a hand fisted in his shirt, his own in Cody’s hair.  
“Mm.” Noah pulled at Cody’s hair, trying to think rationally. There were other’s just on the other side of the bus, they could get caught if they kept going.  
“Shh.” Cody kissed him in a flash of a second, before slipping off the rock and kneeling in front of Noah, silencing him as he peppered more kisses over Noah’s stomach, hips, thighs, and eventually, the bulge of his pants.  
Noah knew they should stop, he freaking knew it, but it had felt so unbelievably good last time, he couldn’t deny it.  
“Can I?” Cody asked, and the moon was bright enough for Noah to look down and see Cody blinking up at him with his big teal eyes, begging for permission.  
“Yeah, sure.” Noah nodded, helping Cody unbutton his pants and slip them down his thighs.

Cody took a moment to just trace his mouth along the length of Noah’s dick, making him shiver, his hand on Cody’s shoulder digging in on accident. That gave Cody the incentive to do what he had intended, as he wrapped his lips around the head, effortlessly beginning to suck and stroke. Noah slapped a hand to his mouth as he bit back a moan, doing his best to stay quiet. Cody continued for a few minutes, but Noah knew they didn’t have time or luck on their side for both of them to worship each other like they had at New Years.

“Co-Cody…” He stuttered. “Cody, up.”  
Cody obeyed, but seemed surprised at the request, frowning at Noah as he sat back.  
“C’mere.” Noah ushered him forward, still with his shorts down, and Cody shuffled back into the space between his legs and a hand on Noah’s thigh. “Here, we don’t have much time.” Cody took the hint, sitting back up on the rock beside him and letting Noah undo his jeans, kissing his jaw as he did so.  
Noah had a hand in Cody’s boxers in seconds, the action messy and quick, and Cody gripped his penis in return. Noah heard mumbling from the other side of the bus, and this was getting riskier by the second. That seemed to spur him on, and Cody was breathless against him, slick in his hands, turning Noah on even more. They kissed fiercely, rougher than earlier, the rush of the chance of getting caught firing them up, and Noah felt the soft skin of his lip tear when Cody bit too hard as he climaxed. Noah kissed him as he moaned, trying to keep him quiet. Cody came back to earth and got to work, pumping and stroking Noah to the max, until he too orgasmed, his fist in his mouth as he tried to stay quiet.

They sat together, catching their breath. Cody reached in his jeans pockets for a packet of tissues, handing a bit to Noah so they could clean up quickly.  
“Someone’s coming.” Noah whispered in fright as footsteps could be heard. Somebody had gotten up.  
“Shit!” Cody half-laughed, scrunching the tissues up and tossing them to the side. Noah cringed, knowing he’d have to find them tomorrow and dispose of them discreetly.  
“Here, one last one.” Cody grinned at him cheekily, before tilting Noah’s face towards him and kissing him once more.  
Noah laughed into the kiss, the adrenaline pumping with what they’d just done. Cody burst into a fit of giggles, the kiss breaking for Cody to hunch over and clutch his stomach, bumping their legs together.

“What the hell are you two doing out here?!”  
Noah and Cody blinked blearily as the spotlight from a torch landed on them, DJ walking towards them.  
“Uh, stargazing?” Cody replied, not very convincingly.  
Noah stared blankly at DJ, attempting to act innocent.  
“Uh-huh. Heard that one before.” DJ wasn’t fooled. “Aw shit guys, c’mon!” He covered his eyes in a panic. “Your pants aren’t done up, and Cody, you’re not tucked in! I don’t need to see that!”  
Cody gasped in embarrassment and sorted himself out, Noah biting his bruised lip to stop himself from laughing as he did the same.  
“Don’t tell anyone!” Cody squeaked, still afraid of what people thought.  
“Dudes, everyone knows. You guys weren’t exactly subtle at New Year’s.” DJ groaned and waved them off the rock. Cody shot Noah a worried glance, but Noah shrugged. He had a feeling most people had seem them making out on the way to his room. Nobody seemed to care. “Now get lost, I gotta pee. In private!”  
“Don’t wanna see that anyway.” Noah smirked, hopping off the rock and pulling Cody with him.  
“And go sleep by the bus, you two will get eaten by wild animals if you stay by the cliff, there’s bobcats around here!” DJ called back as they headed back to the group.

“You ok with people knowing?” Noah braved the question.  
“Huh?” Cody hadn’t been paying attention, still holding onto Noah’s hand. “Uh, yeah with this group, yeah it’s fine.” He smiled encouragingly at Noah. It seemed such a simple gesture, but Noah knew that was a big step for Cody, and it made his heart soar that Cody was confident enough to not care that people knew they kiss sometimes.  
“Oh, cool.” Noah knew he sounded bland about it, but he just sucked at getting his point across it seemed.  
“But cameras and stuff? No, I don’t want the public or my parents knowing.” Cody stopped as they reached the overturned bumper of the bus, caught between the light from the campfire and the sinking shadows of the canyon behind. A limbo between the two. “Not until I get to leave home, I’m scared to be outed or something. It was horrible just from the rumours after the airport.” Cody rubbed his arm, unable to look Noah in the eye.  
“That’s ok, I get it.” Noah assured him. He just wanted Cody to know he was there for him, through everything. “I’m sorry I put you in the situation at all.”  
Cody shook his head, a hint of a smile on his lips. “It was me that kissed you at the airport, remember? It was my stupidity, not anything you did.”  
“Still…” Noah began but Cody interrupted him.  
“I’m just still so surprised that you keep letting me kiss you, even when I’m such a mess with it all.” He laughed bitterly, and it made Noah frown. He hated that self-deprecating tone. It didn’t suit Cody’s usual sunny self.  
“I’d get it if you want to stop, it’s a lot of hassle.”  
“What? No.” Noah gripped both of Cody’s arms, making him look at him. “I know it’s not easy for everyone, that there are still crazy bigots in the world and that you’re scared. I’m never going to push you away because of their hate.” Cody held his gaze, the glow from the fire illuminating his face. “I…I don’t want to stop.” Noah confessed.  
“Me neither.” Cody whispered, leaning in closer, and their lips brushed against each other.

“Will you two shut the hell up?!” Duncan’s hoarse voice interrupted the pair. “Go the fuck to sleep!”  
“Oh like you can talk!” Noah shouted back. “I’ve had to watch you and Courtney suck face all day!”  
“That is true Duncan, you and Courtney have been very touchy today, it made most of us uncomfortable.” Howards nasally drawl was heard, then a grunt of pain. “Ow Duncan!”  
“Shut up geek.” Noah and Cody rounded the bus and sat down between Gwen and Heather. “That was during the day, not when everyone is trying to get some shut eye before we all starve to death. So keep it in your pants nerds!” Duncan flipped them off and rolled over, pulling a still-sleeping Courtney to his chest.

“C’mere.” Cody was leaning against the huge wheel of the bus and he had an arm out for Noah.  
Noah shuffled on his knees to sit beside him, but Cody wrapped his arm around Noah’s shoulders and pushed him down, so that he had his ear flat against Cody’s bony chest. It wasn’t the most comfortable pillow that Noah had ever used but he was ecstatic at the gesture, relaxing and getting comfortable, snuggling down against Cody.  
As they drifted off to sleep, Cody ran his fingers through Noah’s hair, the featherlight touch soothing for the other, as Noah drew patterns on Cody’s stomach with his fingernail. They were in some sweet spring bliss, uncaring about what it must look like to everyone else. Noah knew he’d failed again at expressing his feelings aloud fully, but it still felt like they’d made a step in the right direction at least. It felt like Cody was in to him, he prayed, not trying to delude himself that Cody returned his feelings. But this was something couples did, not just two friends who fuck around when they feel like it, no strings attached. This felt like something two people who truly cared and wanted each other did. He vowed to himself that he’d sneak him and Cody off tomorrow afternoon and talk.  
Hopefully.  
~~~~

It seemed that fate hated Noah.  
They were awoken at the crack of dawn by a loud rumbling, and the earth shaking beneath them. Noah awoke with a start as Cody yelped and fell backwards, the bus moving away from behind him. Everyone was on their feet in seconds, staring up at the sky as they watched Chris and Chef haul the bus up from their helicopter.  
“They don’t call me the greatest show host for nothing!”  
Noah had never been happier to see the psychopath in his life.

They were all whisked off to safety, back to the deserted film studio in Toronto, and Chris reassured them that the rescue crew were fine. Not that his word usually meant much with that, but they enjoyed some real food and not being scorched alive by the sun.  
All was going well until Chris admitted that the Deadbeats had all been fake, and that new guy Alejandro had been a dupe too. Then he dropped the bomb that they were all competing for another season, save the rescue crew members who hadn’t made it on time. Noah protested at first like some of the others, but damn, a million dollars was tempting and before he knew it, they were all on board again.

“Ok, campers, you’ve got two days to get back home and repack, then we’re meeting back here in Toronto. Get lost kids, here’s your tickets home!” Noah had a plane ticket shoved into his chest and Owen was yanking at him for them to go catch their flight.  
“Wait!” He extracted himself from his best friends grip, looking around in the chaos for Cody.  
“C’mon, I’ll drive you kid, I’ll uh-talk to your parents for you.” He saw Chef steering Cody off, doing quotation marks with his fingers as he said ‘talk’, likely helping him with his crazy parents again by the sounds of it.  
“See you in a couple of days!” Cody waved back to Noah, looking mildly panicked, but excited more than anything.  
“Yeah…see ya.” Noah stood there; his arms slumped at his sides. He didn’t even get to hug him goodbye, and he knew they wouldn’t be able to say or do anything when they got back.  
“Aww…next time!” Owen did his best to comfort his friend, rubbing Noah’s back for support.

Yep, fate had it in for Noah.  
\------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter this time! I've basically finished the fic now, just a little editing, so I can guarantee that there will be weekly updates! I think two more chapters, maybe three and now a little epilogue has wiggled it's way into the works!   
> Celebrity Manhunt special is a favourite episode of mine, so I liked writing this chapter a lot, it seemed sort of romantic. They're getting there guys!   
> Also, nobody can convince me that them snuggling again was an accident. That was deliberate. NoCo is real <3


	4. Slap Slap Revolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> World Tour has begun and we pick up the story in The Alps. Cody and Noah get to spend some time together and Noah finally gets it.

World Tour had to have been thought up by a demon.

Or well, Chris Mclean, and that’s the same thing, right?

So far, they’d been to Egypt, Japan, the Yukon, New York City and had now survived an avalanche in the German Alps. Noah had sung more than he ever had wanted to in his life, and with each passing challenge, his suspicion of his teammate Alejandro’s true intentions grew stronger.

He just didn’t trust the guy at all.

Cody had been put in another team, one full of girls, and his stalker was worse than they thought, never letting Cody be alone. Cody had kept up his cool-kid persona that he was awful at. His blatant flirting with Gwen continued, although he’d texted Noah a heads up before the show started that he would be doing it, which Noah had appreciated. Gwen had agreed to go along with the charade, knowing that it would help quench all the homophobic rumours going around about Cody right now. Not that Noah had even had much of a chance to see him, what with Team Amazon winning so much and being up in first class most of the time. Noah missed him, even though they were still on one small little plane together. Noah promised himself that when this was over, no more excuses, their thing was getting talked about!

Chris had announced possibly the most disgusting challenge so far, stuffing giant sausages. Izzy kept Noah busy, and he got to make a joke to Cody, saying that Cody had a tiny sausage and making him blush. Noah felt quite pleased with himself for the quip until Cody pointed out that Noah’s team didn’t even _have_ a sausage, thanks to Owen going above and beyond on the disgustingness, by eating the raw sausage meat. Somehow, they’d still beaten Team Amazon down the hill by riding Owen, and yes, Noah never thought he’d have to say that.

Now, Noah stood on some stupid dance mat in a heavy metal hat, and this was probably the first time in weeks he’d been within arms reach of Cody without Sierra being there too. He let out a laugh at the pitiful sight, Cody trying his best to pull down the shorts of the lederhosen.

“How’s the hosen treatin’ ya?” Noah couldn’t resist. As hilarious as the outfit was, with the matching little hat and clippy shoes, Cody did look pretty freaking cute at the same time.

“Urgh, I think my wedgie has a wedgie!” Cody groaned back, still pulling awkwardly at his clothes.

Noah laughed again, and feeling cheeky, winked at the other boy. If that part even aired, it would hopefully just look like he was making fun of Cody. Cody reddened at the gesture, but began to smile back bashfully, and Noah was ready to tease him some more, but a blast of Chef and his mega-horn interrupted them.

Noah did his best to keep up with the dance moves, all while picking up on Alejandro being a smarmy bastard to Leshawna. When he heard the outcry from the Heather about the exchanges, it seemed that she was on the ball as per usual too.

“What’s with you and Leshawna? Giving the enemy a pep talk? Not cool.” Noah couldn’t believe the gall of this douchebag, eager to ruin his own teams chances of winning just to flirt with a girl. Good luck to her, the last girl that Alejandro had wanted was eliminated that day.

“Very perceptive my brilliant teammate.” Urgh, even his bullshit tone made Noah want to puke. “I’m working an angle that will benefit the whole team. That had better be the reason you’re winking at Cody, right Noah?” And Noah picked up on that that threating pitch, frowning at the Spaniard, ready to bite back but they were interrupted by Owen and his gross meat burps.

The day went on, and Noah could tick getting slapped by Leshawna off his list, and Heather _definitely c_ ould. Noah had glowered at his own teammate when Alejandro didn’t hold back on hitting Cody off the podium, far harder than he had needed to. After the winner was announced, the two sat together in the snow, waiting for the others to clean up, Cody clutching his burning cheek and Noah burning holes into Alejandro’s back as he buttered up Leshawna even more.

“I don’t trust him.” Noah confessed to Cody, and oh, of course Sierra had returned.

“He’s an asshole.” Cody said, a look of disdain on his face.

“He hurt my Cody-kins. He’s going down!” Sierra growled, and if Noah didn’t hate his guts, he would be a little bit scared for the guy. “Hey Noah, we get to go around the village for a bit, do you want to come with us? We can get some hot chocolate!” Sierra switched in seconds, her bountiful enthusiasm back. Clearly, she didn’t know anything about him and Cody, or Noah wouldn’t still have his eyeballs.

“Yeah, it’d be fun! Owen and Izzy can come too!” Cody beamed at him. Yeah, that gap-toothed grin always won Noah over.

“Alright, but you’re paying, Mr Bigshot winner.” Noah smirked back. He could stand a couple of hours with Sierra for the sake of Cody. Plus, she had just wiped out Alejandro, so she was in the good books for now. “Hey Owen, coming with us to the town?” Noah yelled over to his best friend and the ginger girl.

“Oooh it’ll be like a double-date!” Sierra squealed when Owen and Izzy agreed, and she clutched Cody tightly. “Oh, well, and you Noah. Maybe you could ask one of the other’s too? So you aren’t the odd one out?” Sierra offered. For someone who had studied the show like she was getting a degree on drama, she was pretty oblivious at times.

“Nah, I’m good, thanks.” Noah stood up, reaching down for Cody’s hand and pulling him up and out of Sierra’s arms. “Let’s go before Alejandro thinks he’s invited too.”

~~~~

The little Alpine town was like something out of a fairytale, snow everywhere and the shop windows lit with candles and laden with every mouth-watering type of food imaginable. The group enjoyed the couple of hours they had to kill while Chef fuelled up. Noah put the skills he’d learnt in German class to use, ordering them all delicious hot pretzels and the best hot chocolate he’d had in his life. Every now and then, he felt Cody’s arm or hand brush against his own, or a serene smile that Cody would sneak him that made Noah feel like they were on a date, that this was a special day. But then Sierra’s high-pitched scream would ruin the illusion, and he’d watch the boy he was crazy into be snatched up in an embrace or watch her try and kiss him by a fountain or some other picturesque landmark.

They finally got a moment when Izzy dragged Sierra into a shoe shop, using the classic line that boys don’t care about these girly things, and that she would help Sierra pick out something cute that Cody would just loooove. Those two statements contradicted themselves, but Sierra didn’t notice and bounded off with the red head in excitement. Izzy waved goodbye to the boys and shot Noah a thumbs up when Owen and Cody turned their backs to peer at some cheese in a window. Noah would thank her later. After a few minutes, Owen saw a block of toilets and excused himself, still burping up sausage fumes, leaving Cody and Noah sitting on a snow-sopped park bench.

“This town is adorable.” Cody rubbed his fingers together, trying to get some warmth back in the pink tips.

“I know right? I’ve never been anywhere like here before.” Noah reached over and closed his own toasty hands over Cody’s to help kickstart Cody’s heating itself up. The park was secluded, and they were enclosed by large ferns and bushes. Nobody would see them here. “I think I’m gonna come back, see it properly.”

“Yeah?” Cody smiled at that. “Good plan. In the summer?”

“Nah, it seems nice like this.” Noah spoke gently, feeling the area was too dreamlike for loud voices.

“True.” Cody agreed. He nudged in closer to Noah, their shoulders touching. “Sorry about Sierra, I can’t shake her.”

“She must be driving you insane.” Noah grinned, brushing some of the snow from Cody’s hair.

“I’m not into her. At all. I would totally be friends with her if she cooled the crazy stalker chick thing down, but romantically? Not a chance.”

“Mm.” Noah wasn’t really listening, too wrapped up in enjoying the moment.

Cody read him wrong, taking his lack of reply as disbelief. “Hey, I really don’t. She’s not my type. You get that right?” He stared at Noah earnestly.

“Yeah I believe you.” Noah reassured, curious now of what Cody’s type actually was. Did he fit the bill? “The girl is even crazier than Izzy, is she anyone’s type?”

“Don’t be mean, she’s probably a nice person underneath it all.” Cody poked Noah in the nose.

They stayed there, knowing that Owen could possibly looking for them right now, but neither cared. Noah was just taking the chance to be alone with Cody, even if it was still with an unseen barrier between them.

“I don’t think there’s any cameras here.” Cody leaned in even closer, his whispering breath tickling Noah’s icy cheek. It wasn’t the chill that made Noah shiver, it was the brush of those lips against his skin.

“Are you sure?” Noah didn’t want a repeat of the airport.

“Fuck it, I’m taking my chances.” Cody said, mostly to himself, before cupping Noah’s chin and pressing their mouths together in a snow dripped kiss.

Noah’s temperature soared at the exchange, melting into the familiarity of kissing Cody. They kept it simple, hardly even involving tongues, just relishing the moment. Noah could taste the creamy chocolate from Cody’s mouth, and he lapped it up, his heart burning with affection for the other. They broke apart after a few minutes, and each glanced around the deserted park. There wasn’t anyone screaming or crying at them, or the flash of the cameras.

They’d gotten away with it.

Cody began to laugh, almost hysterically at that realisation.

“That felt…so free.” He smiled at Noah like the sun had just came out. He pressed another gentler kiss to Noah’s lips. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me every time we kiss.” Noah laughed.

“I’m thanking you for the way you make me feel. Like I can be myself with you.” Cody toyed with the collar of Noah’s jacket; his nerves high. “I couldn’t have that without you.”

“Oh.” Noah was floored with that. Cody just kept coming out with cute little things like this that made Noah fall for him harder each time. “You’re welcome. You do the same for me. I just want you to be ok with who you are, and hopefully, you’ll get to express it soon.”

Cody nodded, still playing with Noah’s clothes. This wasn’t the time or place for a confession, Noah knew that realistically, that anyone could walk along and record it and he didn’t want it broadcasted to the world for either of them. But whatever they were doing right now, it sure felt beautiful.

“C’mon,” Cody stood shakily, half frozen into Noah. “Before Sierra sends out a search party.” He said with an awkward smile, and Noah followed him back onto the streets.

During the silent walk back in the snow to the others, Cody was still snug against him. At least they could justify it by the cold and Cody’s useless sweater, that he needed the warmth. Noah spent the time mulling over a thought in his head, something that he’d been trying to push aside for months now. Cody glanced up at him, an unspoken question if he was ok in his eyes. Noah shot him a casual smile and Cody returned it, bumping their shoulders together.

Yep, Noah knew it, the answer to his constant question was obvious.

He was in love with Cody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooo World Tour!! My favourite Season!  
> Another very short chapter, I was originally going to post this one and the next chapter together as one big lump chapter, but then realised they are both pretty crucial landmarks for their relationship and thought they deserved to be separate. Especially as the next chapter is nsfw and this one is the complete opposite, much more focused on soft lil feelings <3  
> I hope my readers are liking it so far, I love hearing from you all, it makes my day!!


	5. Jamaica me sweat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW THIS CHAPTER//
> 
> Like full on. I changed the rating of the fic because honestly, I'm a little confused on what the difference between mature and explicit is, so I just changed it to explicit to be safe. 
> 
> Noah and Cody get a chance to spend some more time together in Jamaica, and things go further than ever.

The tour went on, and Noah managed to stay in longer than he ever thought possible. Amazingly, all of team Amazon was still standing, and up until the plane had crash landed in Jamaica and broke Izzy, Noah’s team had been full too.

The crew were out of fuel and money, and everybody was still standing awkwardly on the beach after the events of the day. DJ had been shoved in a cab for the airport to head back to Canada, and Noah stared at Alejandro’s stupidly toned back, trying to decipher why the guy had spent all day sucking up to DJ, then not even say goodbye to the soft jock. The way DJ had flown off that track, Noah knew Alejandro must have tampered with it. He suspected his time was coming up too, the way that Alejandro treated him, unfortunately too smart to not notice how Noah felt about him.

For once in his life, Noah was glad about Courtney and her insane demands, and somehow with the help of her lawyer, she’d made Chris fork out for motel rooms out of his own pocket for them all.

Really, that meant a team to each room, which was cramped as hell, but better than nothing.

They’d spent the night steaming from the humidity, and Noah ended up on the floor willingly from the melting heat radiating off of Owen. Not to mention his crying from losing his girlfriend and Noah comforted Owen as best as he could. True, he thought Izzy was nuts, but they had somehow worked. Truthfully, he kinda hoped they’d get back together.

The next day was spent with more milling around as they waited for the cash influx, and it wasn’t until early evening that Noah got to speak to Cody at last.

“Hey, you busy?” Cody was standing over Noah as he lay face down on a towel in the sand.

“Very.” Noah replied back.

“Oh. Ok. Sorry, I’ll leave you be.” Cody went to leave.

Noah groaned and turned over onto his back to look up at the brunette. “Sarcasm, Cody. No, I’m pretty free right now. What’s up?” He glanced around the beach, seeing Tyler and Alejandro playing with a football, and Gwen relaxing under a parasol, but for once, no Sierra in sight. “And where’s the nutjob?”

“Annoying Chris or something, so come with me quickly before she comes looking for me.” Cody tugged Noah up by his arms, doing his best to pry Noah’s lax form up from his slouching.

“Oh-Kaaaay.” Noah relented, joining Cody, letting him lead him back along the beach. “Where are we going?”

“The plane.” Cody answered simply.

“What? Why that hunk of junk?” Noah groaned, thinking Cody’s idea of fun was pretty far-fetched sometimes. He thought they were gonna go somewhere exciting, they were in a different country after all.

“Just shut up and trust me.” Cody sighed, side eyeing him and swinging open the door to the plane.

Noah glanced around to the others, nobody taking any notice of them. “Urgh, fine.” Noah gave in, his curiosity getting the better of him and following the brunette inside.

Cody didn’t say a word as they snuck through the corridor and Noah thought they were heading for the First-Class Cabin, or maybe even Chris’s secret section with the hot tub, but instead, Cody stopped at the hatch for the plane’s hold.

“We’re going in there?” Noah didn’t see the appeal of a stinking room of junk.

“Yep.” Cody shot him a cat-like grin before disappearing into the darkness.

Noah sighed, wondering why he went along with this charade. Oh right, because Cody was cute as hell and he was hoping for a kiss out of this. He’d even settle for a hug. He crawled down the hole after Cody, also asking why they didn’t just use the door from the outside. Once down, he blinked in the darkness, reaching out for Cody. Noah panicked when his hand grasped nothing, Cody out of sight and touch. He was freaking internally, for a moment scared that Cody had turned on him, and that this was some sick prank.

“Relax, I’m just trying to find the switch again.”

Noah felt his shoulders un-stiffen when he heard Cody’s voice, a few feet away from him. There were a few clicking sounds, and Cody muttering to himself, before the room was enveloped in a sunset yellow glow. Noah squinted at the sudden light, taking in the sight of Cody hunched over a plug socket and the old lanterns from Camp Wawanakwa above them.

“Chris brought these with him?” Noah was amazed.

“Apparently.” Cody grinned at him, standing back up and taking a hold of both of Noah’s hands. “But I didn’t bring you down here to look at some tacky paper and fake tealights.”

“Yeah?” Noah smiled back, only then noticing what else was around them.

Cody must have been busy, that explained why he hadn’t seen the gap-toothed boy all afternoon. The lights and the poles they were attached to were upright, making a semi-circle around the middle of the hold. Boxes of junk and miscellaneous items were all pushed to the sides of the metal walls, but inside the enclosed space there was a pile of inviting sheets and blankets. Cody led him towards the den, pulling them both down onto some surprisingly plush pillows, unbuckling and kicking off his sandals.

“You built this? How’d you manage that without anyone noticing?” Noah fell backwards, settling onto his side, impressed with Cody’s hard work.

“That’s my secret.” Cody smirked at him, laying down beside Noah and closing his eyes. “I needed some space from Sierra and figured you might like to chill here too.”

“Pretty steamy in here, not sure I’d call it that chilled.” Noah joked sarcastically. Secretly, he was pleased that Cody had been thinking about him. 

“Ok, so I couldn’t exactly get the air conditioning working down here.” Cody rolled his eyes and sat back up. Noah went to pull him back onto the sheets, but Cody wriggled out of his grasp, fiddling with something Noah couldn’t see and switching on an electric fan. “But will this do?”

Noah sighed in happiness at the feeling of a cool breeze on his torso. “Oh my god, perfect.” Noah closed his eyes, basking in the calmness. Jeez, he never thought he’d say that about Chris’s dingy plane.

“Like it?” Cody rested on his front beside Noah, his chin in his hands and smiling across at Noah.

“Yeah.” Noah let out a laugh, a gentle smile on his lips when he felt Cody tickle his fingertips against his bicep. “Thanks, I can see you’ve put a lot of work into it.” He turned his head, opening his eyes lazily to face Cody properly.

“I’m glad.” Cody’s face was inches from his own. “Could make it better though.” He teased, playing with the sleeve of Noah’s unbuttoned cotton shirt.

“Mm?” Noah purred sleepily, waiting for Cody. “Are there cameras down here?”

“Don’t think so.” Cody murmured, moving in close against Noah and snaking an arm around his waist. Their skin was hot where they touched, and usually Noah would be shaking it off, hating the heat, but not when it was like this.

He’d burn for Cody, he knew it. 

Noah took the lead, stroking back Cody’s fringe and kissing him hotly.

Cody reacted instantly, opening his mouth fully to invite Noah in, climbing on top of Noah’s body. The kiss didn’t break as they got into it, taking the chance to indulge in each other after what felt like forever. Noah had a hand on Cody’s shoulder blades, the other dangerously close to Cody’s upper thigh. Cody had his legs pressed tightly against Noah’s sides, his butt planted on Noah’s crotch, his hands roughing up Noah’s already messy hair.

They both knew they didn’t have much time, who knows who could come looking for them, so they were both quick to get into it, the kisses becoming hot and heavy. Before Noah knew it, he was hard, panting into Cody’s mouth, as the other rocked atop him, knowing exactly what his movements were doing to Noah. Cody tugged at Noah’s already unbuttoned shirt, yanking him out of the sleeves without their lips parting. Noah was thankful that Cody was already shirtless, his hands tracing up Cody’s chest, his finger toying at one of Cody’s nipples.

Cody moaned against him, making his own erection known. Noah twirled his hips from under the other, grinding against Cody, causing pressure against both of their dicks. Cody gasped into Noah’s neck, his teeth scratching against the jut of Noah’s Adam’s apple. Noah clawed at Cody’s hips and ass, another hand up the front of Cody’s swimming shorts. His palm was pressed firmly against the tight skin of Cody’s thigh, his penis centimetres away, and he could feel the dampness from the pre-cum through the fabric.

“Hang on.” Cody sat up, making Noah buck up as his ass landed on Noah’s dick even harder. The smaller boy yanked a sheet from the pile around them, draping it over them and enclosing them in their own secret little tent.

“Thought you said there were no cameras.” Noah panted as Cody ran a hand in between Noah’s thighs.

“There was, but I turned them off when I went in Chris’s room.” Cody said back. “I just wanted to be cosy.”

“Cosy?” Noah laughed. “We’re in Jamaica, where it’s boiling hot already, and you want to be cosy?”

“Yep.” Cody answered simply, kissing Noah quickly, laying on top of him again. “Anyway…” He went back to sucking on Noah’s skin, shutting him up quickly.

Noah wasn’t too focused on where his hands were going, edging under the waistband of Cody’s shorts, feeling the tip of his penis rub against Noah’s thumb. Cody groaned with delight at the touch, shucking off his shorts completely, and Noah copied, uncaring that he was currently naked under a thin sheet in a ship’s cargo hold, stranded in Jamaica.

God, his life was weird sometimes.

“Can we…” Cody began to speak, pulling his head back to meet Noah’s eyes.

“Can we what?” Noah purred against his mouth, his hands back on Cody’s hips, pressing their bodies flush against each other.

“How…” Cody seemed to be finding it hard to find his words, especially with Noah sucking on his nipple. “How far can we go?”

“How far do you want to?” Noah asked the real question.

“Mmm.” Cody hummed against his mouth, prising himself up on his elbows, sliding his ass against Noah’s erection. “I want…” He stretched his legs wider, teasingly. “I want all of you.”

Noah’s breath left his body at that, his eyes fluttering shut as Cody rocked on top of him.

“You sure?” He asked quietly.

“Yes.” Cody kissed him softly. “Are you?”

Noah kissed him back once more, a hand in his hair. He wanted nothing more. “Of course.”

Cody slid the sheet off for a moment, rummaging around under the pillows for something. Noah craned his neck to see, eager to know what Cody was looking for. When the other produced a bottle of lube, Noah smirked. The little minx had been planning this.

Cody uncapped the bottle, squeezing cool gel onto Noah’s fingers, his eyelashes fluttering seductively at Noah as he did so, climbing back onto Noah’s lap.

Noah probed lightly against Cody’s entrance, his free hand cupping his ass, keeping him steady. Cody had his face pressed into Noah’s shoulder, and Noah felt his lips part against his skin in pleasure as he coaxed a finger in, working it back and forward, stretching Cody out.

Cody kissed his neck and jaw sporadically, when he wasn’t crying out in ecstasy as Noah prepped him, his first finger followed by another, and eventually, as Cody was practically writhing with want in his lap, a final third.

“Please…” Cody murmured against his ear. “Please, I want you.” He repeated. “Please Noah.”

Noah’s dick twitched at his sultry words, Cody begging for him to fuck him was turning Noah on harder than ever.

“Okay!” Noah laughed as Cody kissed him roughly, tugging at Noah to hurry up.

Cody coated Noah’s dick with more lube, and Noah kissed him, soft and sweet. He was about to pull Cody down and lay him onto his back, but Cody, ever true to his favourite position, clambered back onto Noah’s legs, angling himself over Noah’s erection. Noah watched Cody’s expression as he lowered himself down, gripping Noah’s thighs for support, as he slid down, taking in Noah’s member.

Cody remained still for a moment, breathing heavily, his chest and neck tinged pink and glistening with sweat. Noah rubbed circles into the small of his back, comforting, feeling Cody untense around him.

“You ok?” Noah whispered.

“Ye-yeah.” Cody’s voice was silvery and still, deep with want. “Can I…I’m gonna start moving.” He announced.

“If you feel ready.” Noah kissed his collarbone, not wanting Cody to hurt himself.

Cody began to bob up and down, slowly at first, taking in more and more of Noah’s penis with each thrust, and Noah rocked his hips gently, matching pace. Cody began to grind faster, fiercer, his fingers scraping hard against Noah’s scalp. Noah tilted his head back, his eyes pressed shut as Cody rode him, his dick pressing against Cody’s prostate. He felt Cody’s legs begin to shake, and Noah knew what was coming, gripping Cody’s chin and kissing him senseless as Cody climaxed, squeezing around Noah as he orgasmed.

Noah kept his hold on Cody as he came back down to earth, his hands searching over every part of Cody’s bare, hot skin that he could reach. Cody moaned against his neck, his senses in overdrive.

“I…” Cody began to speak, a dopey smile on his face. “I feel amazing.” He sounded drunk, stupidly happy, and Noah was so stupidly in love with him.

“Was good?” Noah’s dick was throbbing, Cody still tight around him.

“God, yeah.” Cody grinned at him, easing off.

Noah bit his lip at the movement, and Cody winked at him, still with his own cum trickling down his member and between Noah’s legs. Cody moved awkwardly, as he lowered his head between Noah’s thighs, taking all of Noah’s length between his lips in one go.

Noah didn’t last long, not as Cody sucked and twirled his tongue around Noah’s dick, a thumb in Noah’s entrance, pushing in and out against his G-spot. Noah came, hot and heavily, and in that moment, he hated the metal walls of the hangar as it echoed out his cry.

Cody kissed the base of his stomach, running a hand along Noah’s hipbone, the other at his inner thigh, and Noah’s vision came back into focus. Cody pushed him down onto the blankets, the pair of them messy and slick with sweat and their other liquids, but Noah didn’t care. He had his arms around the other in seconds, pulling Cody against his chest. Cody patted his pecs playfully, smiling sleepily at him, before tilting his head up to catch Noah’s lips softly once more.

Cody sighed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Noah’s neck and snuggling up into him. Of all the things Noah had thought would happen during this season, he hadn’t thought screwing Cody in the cargo hold of the plane would be one of them. But here he was, arms full of a hyperactive fake cool kid, who had stolen his heart completely. And if Cody wanted it, his undivided love and attention, Noah would gladly give it away.

“I wanna do that again sometime.” Cody confessed; his voice so quiet against Noah’s shoulder that he almost didn’t hear him.

Noah’s heart stirred, at Cody being so open in how he felt around Noah. “Me too.” Noah replied, stroking up and down Cody’s spine. “But I don’t think it will be in here again.”

“Why not?” Cody queried, frowning at him, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.

“I think I’m gonna be the next to get voted off, when my team loses.” He admitted.

“You don’t know that for certain.” Cody was doing his best to keep Noah optimistic.

“No, I do.” Noah persisted. “Alejandro’s starting to realise that I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him, and he’s got a pretty good track record of getting the people he wants gone off the show.” He thought of Bridgette, Leshawna, Harold, DJ. All of Noah’s friend’s that Alejandro had used then tossed out when they’d stopped being of any use to him. “I’m no use to him, therefore, I’m next.” Noah concluded.

“Then we just gotta make sure you don’t lose! Or convince Tyler to vote him off with you and Owen.” Cody tried to reassure him.

“Yeah, I’ll try.” Noah smiled down at Cody. If he had a reason to stay, it was definitely for this guy. He’d speak with Tyler when he next got the chance without the snake around.

They drifted off to sleep, the days warmth and the glimmer of the fairy lights making it easier to succumb, not to mention after the strenuous exercise they’d just done together.

“Cody!” Noah jolted awake at the sound of another voice, feeling Cody roll off of him.

“Huh wha?” Cody always took forever to wake up properly when he was with Noah.

“Cody, I swear to God, you have one minute to get your scrawny ass back up here.” Heather hissed down the stairway. “And Noah, your teams looking for you and Alejandro is suuuuper pissed about you missing.”

“What?” Noah began grappling with the sheets, trying to find his clothes, not caring how Heather knew he was also here. He cringed when he felt something uncomfortable between his legs. They’d forgotten to clean up properly.

“Yeah, just gimmie five minutes.” Cody called back, wiping himself with a sheet and doing the same as Noah.

“Nope, dork, I’ve kept Sierra away for over an hour for you two idiots, I’m done!” She snarked back. “And Chris and Chef are about to start fuelling up the plane again, so we’re leaving soon.”

“Okay!” Cody rolled his eyes and shot a grin to Noah.

“60 seconds starting now!”

“Heather covered for you?” Noah was shocked that Cody had gotten the ice queen to help anyone other than herself.

“Yeah,” Cody answered as he wiggled back into his trunks. “She can be alright sometimes.”

“I heard that!” Heather shouted down to them. “Hurry up!”

“She made me promise I wouldn’t vote her off next time.” Cody winked at Noah as they headed for the stairs, their fingers linked. “Wait.”

Cody stopped abruptly, making Noah smack into his back.

“One last kiss, until next time.” Cody grinned at him, catching Noah’s lips with his own for a moment.

Noah melted into his arms, always drinking in every kiss he got the chance to share with Cody. Who knew how long it would be before the next one?

“Ew nerds.” Heather wasn’t going anywhere, but her tone was more along the lines of playful teasing than actual bitchy-ness. “Get your ass back up here already Cody, someone’s coming.”

The two clambered up the stairs, hands hanging at their sides as another person came up behind Heather.

“Oh, fancy seeing you in here.” The Spaniard purred at her. “By any chance have you seen that imbecile of my teammate-”

“I’m right here, so can it.” Noah came into view, glaring at the other guy.

Cody crept up the last few steps behind him, casting a glance between the two other guys, half-hiding behind Heather and her death stare.

“Ah, there you are Noah.” Alejandro’s smile was as fake as Chris’s spray tan. “What were you doing down there? Working with the enemy? I thought we’d talked about that, in Germany.”

“Nothing.” Noah said curtly. It was none of Alejandro’s business.

“I was making them look down there for more hairbrushes.” Heather interrupted the brewing argument. “Do you know how quickly it is to lose those things in first class all the time? Oh wait, no you wouldn’t, you’re never in there.” She smirked at him, shifting Alejandro’s focus to her and away from anything going on between Noah and Cody.

Noah stared at her, not expecting Heather to save his ass, not in a million years. Cody cast him a gentle smile as the other two argued, and Noah returned it, before his eardrums were burst by Sierra’s shrill cry.

“Codykins!!!!” She screamed and bounded over to them. “Ohhh, I’ve missed you, where have you been?” She smothered his face between her breasts, and Noah bit back a laugh at the sight.

“Busy!” Cody tried to answer.

“Urgh, let’s go losers.” Heather had had enough of her team members and their antics, grabbing both Cody and Sierra’s wrists and dragging them back to first class without a word.

Noah waved back at Cody’s attempt to say goodbye, his expression stoic, fully aware of Alejandro still standing there.

“I’m keeping my eye on you.” Alejandro said, his voice threatening. It didn’t take much for him to lose his charming act when nobody else was around. “The second I think you’re not being of any use to the team, you’re out.”

“Likewise.” Noah wasn’t going to be intimidated. He knew he didn’t stand a chance against Alejandro, but that didn’t mean he was going down without a fight.

“And remember,” Alejandro leaned in close, too close for Noah’s liking. “just how good I am at bringing people over to my side. Little Bridgette who had been oh so faithful until me.”

“Don’t even try anything with him.” Noah panicked; he wasn’t even going to bother feigning ignorance on what Alejandro was getting at. “I mean it.”

“All I’m saying,” Alejandro’s voice stank of lies “Is that Cody’s easy. Everyone knows it. As soon as your gone, he’ll come running to the first person who even smiles at him. Boys a slut.” Alejandro patted Noah condescendingly on the shoulder before Noah had time to even react, let alone punch the asshole. The villain strode off, leaving Noah to feel sick and alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaaand there we go. Explicit TD nsfw. what is my life. 
> 
> I know I said in comments I would post this chapter on Friday, but I got slammed with extra shifts at work. We're during a pandemic and my country isn't even completely back to normal yet and we're making record sales and busier than this time last year. What is wrong with people *cries*. 
> 
> Again, idk if this is too ooc or what, but god do I love writing this ship. Also, I only just found out about a certain well known youtuber who "reviews" TD fanart and fanfic and seriously, wtf. People like that, who spend hours making that sort of content to only ridicule and embarrass other people's enjoyment and hard work, they really piss me off. Some of my favourite artists were featured in his latest video and it just made me so angry with what he was saying about them. There was also a reddit post a while back about someone reading all the fic on fanfic.net and laughing about it so now I'm just paranoid if they find ao3 because they were reading noco ones if I remember correctly. Sorry rant over! 
> 
> Again, thank you so much everybody who has been reading and enjoying this!! Fuck all the nasty people making fun of fandom shit, I love reading other peoples stories and seeing their beautiful art, and if my fics do the same, then I'm not gonna stop writing them either.   
> This chapter has ended semi sweet!!   
> I am sorry in advance for what's coming :))))


	6. Intermission between Serengeti and the finale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Cody wakes up in First class with Alejandro, he makes a mistake.  
> And Noah had to watch it all and have his heartbroken yet again.

Noah had been correct in his predictions about Alejandro and his own inevitable elimination.

The next destination, in London, they’d found The Ripper (AKA Ezekiel) while team Amazon had only found Duncan. But Noah had also said his thoughts aloud, and even though they should have won, he found himself flung out of a plane with a smirk from Alejandro and Duncan.

There was nothing Noah would be able to do now to stop Alejandro from sinking his claws into Cody or Owen.

He’d ended back up with the other losers, watching the episodes and the behind the scenes clips that don’t get aired, just like before, and eventually Owen had joined him. The episodes had actually been pretty entertaining, and Noah watched his crush get fake married at Niagara Falls, get drugged by Love tea in China, and get kidnapped by baboons in the Serengeti.

Noah hadn’t been too hung up about losing again, he was still riding the high from having sex with Cody and the part of him that was still overjoyed that Cody wanted to continue, that they might have a chance, but that all fell apart after the Serengeti.

And of course it was because of Alejandro.

Noah couldn’t step in and stop Alejandro from taking Cody with him to first class.

Noah couldn’t do anything except watch the TV, everybody looking at him with pity as Cody awoke, Sierra free for the first time in forever, and automatically thanked Alejandro for it, even though Cody had known what Noah had thought of the Spaniard.

He couldn’t do a thing.

“Oh, mm, thank you!” Noah felt sick with heartbreak as Cody giddily jumped across the aisle, right onto Alejandro’s lap.

Alejandro looked mildly uncomfortable, especially when Cody wouldn’t let up. Noah could tell how exhausted Cody was just from looking at his image on the screen, his eyebags bigger than ever, running on empty and stupidly excited about having some time without his stalker was probably messing him up.

Or so Noah hoped.

“Please, before somebody sees.” Alejandro said, but his hands were still on Cody’s arms.

“Mm, yeah. Oh, I’ll make this up to you, thanks so much Al!” Noah got a sick sense of satisfaction at the twitch in Alejandro’s eye when Cody called him Al, unaware of how much it bugged the other.

“Oh, I’m sure I’ll think of something.” Alejandro’s voice was shifting, the tone turning suggestive and sultry.

Noah shot a look over to Bridgette and Leshawna, and he could see that they’d picked up on it too. Alejandro had used that voice on them too after all. They knew where this was going, and Noah knew as well. 

“Actually, as a friend, I feel the need to help you out even further.” Noah had his chin in his palm, his teeth practically grinding at what he was having to watch. Next to him, Owen patted him sympathetically.

“Yeah?” Noah wanted to cry, Cody sounded so hopeful, far too trusting for his own good.

“I couldn’t help but notice the, uh, bond that you had with my previous teammate, Noah.”

Noah froze.

He felt all eyes on him. Sure, practically everybody from their group knew that they’d messed around at this point, but if this got aired, Cody was screwed.

“Mm, yeah, he’s a really great friend.” Cody squinted at Alejandro, not getting what he was trying to say. He stayed seated firmly on Alejandro’s lap, and Noah felt sicker. It was what Cody did with _him!_

“Well, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I just can’t let a sweet guy like you get treated like that any longer.” Alejandro was going in for the kill, running a hand through his hair, and as much as Noah hated his guts, he could see how that trick worked.

“What do you mean? Noah’s the best.” Cody sounded quiet.

“He just plays with you, when he feels like it. It’s cruel.” Alejandro simpered.

“No, it’s just complicated.” Cody went to move, but Alejandro held him down. Cody didn’t protest.

“So you know about him and Owen then?”

What?

Noah shot a glance to Owen, who looked as confused as Noah felt. On the screen, Cody had paled, looking genuinely shocked at the lie.

‘ _Please don’t believe that.’_ Noah begged in his mind, wishing he could send that telepathically to Cody right now.

“What?” Cody had mimicked Noah’s thoughts without knowing it.

“You know Noah’s part of the reason Owen and Izzy broke up right? She caught them kissing.” Alejandro continued.

“Huh?” Cody seemed at a loss for words.

“Pfft, that’s a lie.” Izzy laughed from the other side of Owen, clinging to his arm, confident in her partners faithfulness. They’d gotten back together, and Noah was happy for them. He sure as hell had had nothing to do with their breakup, that was more to do with a plane landing on them and breaking Izzy’s brain for a while.

“And in London, urgh, I had to watch them sneak around, kissing in castle hallways and giggling together. It disgusted me, how he was clearly only using you for the action until he could get Owen to himself at last.” Alejandro sighed dramatically.

Surely Cody wouldn’t believe this.

“He…he did?” Oh god, no way Cody.

“And he said the worst thing about you, that’s why we voted him off. Even Duncan was appalled.” Noah shot a glance to Duncan, who looked equally confused. It seemed that the punk wasn’t in on the lie either at least.

“I like you Cody, I couldn’t let him say such a horrible thing about you.” Alejandro had a hand on Cody’s cheek, and Noah felt the bile rise in his throat as Cody lifted his gaze, tears beginning to prick at his blue eyes.

“What…what did he say about me?” Cody sounded so small, so defeated.

Noah felt a tear slide down his own cheek, he couldn’t stand this. Watching the guy he was in love with fall for this snake’s lies.

“He said he only went with you because he wanted to get some, and knew you’d be the right pick. That you’re an easy slut and would go with anyone who gives you the time of day.” Alejandro delivered the final blow, using the exact same words that he himself had called Cody earlier in Jamaica.

Noah’s eyes were glued to the TV, unable to watch this but also unable to look away.

Cody was silent, the tears flowing as he sat there, still perched in Alejandro’s lap. Alejandro rubbed up and down Cody’s arms soothingly, looking at him so sweetly, but Noah knew it was all an act.

A sick, sick act.

“I…I thought we had something.” Cody said at last.

“I’m sorry mi amigo, he doesn’t deserve such a beautiful boy as you.” Alejandro answered, his hands now on Cody’s back.

Cody shook his head, wiping his eyes. “It’s…it’s ok. I’d rather know.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you, that wasn’t my intention.” Alejandro’s voice was low, as sweet as syrup.

“It’s fine, thanks for telling me.” Cody tried to smile, and Alejandro brought a hand to cup Cody’s face.

“I mean it, you are beautiful. Why do you think I brought you in here with me?”

“I thought you liked Heather?” Cody’s barriers were tumbling down, Noah could see it.

As cruel as it was to say, there was a shred of truth to what Alejandro had said. Cody was easily led, always assuming the best in people’s word, and sometimes that got him in trouble.

Like now.

“Not really.” Alejandro smiled at him. “She’s just hard to eliminate. It’s easier to pretend to woo her. Really, I’ve had trouble keeping my eyes off of you this whole competition. I’ve seen gorgeous people throughout my life, but you are truly perfect. Ah, I hope that’s not too bold to say.” Alejandro tilted his head away, feigning shyness.

“No, I’m just a bit surprised that’s all.” Cody stammered back; his brows furrowed.

“May I kiss you?” Alejandro wasn’t waiting around. He knew how vulnerable Cody was feeling right now, that this was the perfect time to strike before Cody started to think rationally again.

“Uh…” Cody blinked at him, but Alejandro still had a hand on his face, tilting Cody’s head closer and capturing his lips in a moment.

Noah felt another hand on his shoulder, and to his surprise, it was Duncan.

“Dudes an asshole.” Duncan was glaring at the screen.

“I…I didn’t think Cody would actually believe that.” Noah admitted.

“It’s not true, right?” Trent and Gwen looked down at him. “Please tell me you didn’t say that about him.” Gwen was shooting daggers at Noah, still protective of her friend, and Trent looked disappointed.

“Of course not!” Noah wanted it to be clear to everyone that he wouldn’t ever say or think that about Cody. “And for the record, Owen and I have only ever kissed once, and that was during dares at New Year’s” He also wanted to shut down any of that talk. “No offence Owen, but you’re not my type.”

“Oh, none taken!” His best friend laughed. “I’m too blond right? You prefer short and gap-toothed cool nerds eh?” Even if Noah was tearstained from watching his love kiss another guy, Owen would still take the time to tease him playfully.

“Get your man off of my man!” Courtney’s high-pitched cry brought Noah’s attention to the screen.

Cody had given in, kissing Alejandro back, and hard.

“Ah, I can think of a way for you to repay me actually.” Alejandro broke the kiss, a sly grin on his lips.

“Hm?” Cody’s eyes were still shiny with tears.

“Well, uh, Noah did tell me how good you are. With your mouth.” Alejandro raised his eyebrow at Cody, then glanced down, to his crotch that Cody was currently sitting on.

Cody didn’t say a word, sliding off of Alejandro’s knee, and Noah was hopeful for a moment, that Cody had realised that he was better than this scumbag and was leaving.

But no, Cody slid down onto his knees, between Alejandro’s legs, fiddling with his belt and looking up at Alejandro with pure trust in his eyes. The rational part of Cody’s brain had clearly jumped ship, forgetting about cameras and every evil thing that Alejandro had ever done.

Everybody gasped as the scene changed abruptly, to Heather and Sierra sitting together in economy class, the conversation about something else, unaware of what was happening in first class at that moment.

Noah was up in a flash, feeling cold to the bone.

Cody had went through with it. He knew it.

“I’m not watching anymore of this. Fuck this.” He went to walk away but Courtney was still babbling on about Alejandro.

“Uh, you can’t just storm off, we have to watch!” She protested.

“Fuck that, I’m not watching anymore of Cody.” Noah cried, flinging the TV remote he’d been holding. He’d meant to hit the TV but had unfortunately his Tyler instead. He’d apologise later.

Owen got up to follow him, ready to be the best comforting friend on earth, but Noah just wanted to be alone, cry in peace.

“Just, leave me be for a bit.” Everybody was watching with pity as he left the room, to go cry into his pillow as Cody broke his heart yet again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Noah eventually suffered through the rest of the episode, secretly glad to see Alejandro and Cody’s brief fling fall apart in the space of two days, once Cody cottoned on to how deceitful Alejandro truly was, and once Alejandro decided Cody wasn’t needed for leverage anymore, continuing to work on Heather instead.

He had to watch one of Alejandro’s confessionals, one which aired, explaining why he had went with Cody in the first place. As Noah had expected, it was nothing but strategical, like Cody’s feelings didn’t matter. Alejandro mostly just wanted to not look a laughing stock to his siblings apparently. Noah wanted to smash the TV all over again as Alejandro laughed easily in that dingy toilet, chuckling to himself about how Cody was putty in his hands right now, that he had the power to make the smaller boy do anything he wanted with the flash of a smile.

“Hope you’re watching this Noah, I told you he was easy. Just think about that, next time you’re with him. That I’ve been there too. You’re not the only one.” Alejandro winked at the camera and shut it off, leaving Noah to glower at the blacked-out screen, hating the guy with every fibre of his being.

Noah watched the plane explode in Drumheller thanks to Sierra and her nice birthday message, and he was terrified for a moment that Cody and the others had went up in flames alongside the jet, but they were all ok, save Sierra’s legs and her hair.

He knew they were on their way to Hawaii, and Noah sat in his room in the boat that Geoff had made the producers rent out for them all, contemplating what he was going to do when he saw Cody again.

He should forget him.

He couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Tell him to go screw himself.

Hug him for everything that Alejandro did to him.

Delete his number, tell him what he really thought.

Kiss him senseless.

Noah couldn’t decide.

“Noah?”

Noah’s rambling mind was interrupted by a knock and a familiar chilled out voice.

“Yeah, come in.”

Noah let Geoff enter, expecting him to come tell him something about the show. He wasn’t expecting Bridgette and Duncan to follow behind him. Especially Duncan.

“What’s up?” Noah glanced between the three. It felt like an intervention.

“Just checking in on you, see how you’re doing.” Bridgette’s tone was soft and comforting, reminding him of his mother for a moment. She’d know what to do right now.

“I’m fine.” Noah said quickly.

“We’ve hardly seen you dude, even Owen’s getting worried.” Geoff sat down next to Noah on the bed, his eyes pitiful. “Ever since the Easter Island episode.”

Noah didn’t say a word, knowing they were right. Truthfully, he had been avoiding everybody since that night, embarrassed that his feelings had been broadcasted to the cast and to the world, but more than anything he was just hurting inside. And he _knew e_ verybody was pitying him right now, so why would he want to go sit and make small talk with them, knowing that they were whispering about him behind his back. He was just another guy that lost out to Alejandro.

And now the other two losers were sitting in his room, as well as a girl that had fallen for Noah’s sworn enemy’s bullshit.

“I’ll be about tonight, don’t worry.” Noah shrugged at them.

“Look, I know that sucked to watch, dude I’ve been there!” Geoff shot a glance to Bridgette, who couldn’t meet his eyes. At least Noah and Cody hadn’t been officially together, or it probably would have hurt even more. Not like this was a cakewalk though. “But you can’t let that snake get your man!”

“He wasn’t mine to begin with.” Noah sighed.

“He was, even if it wasn’t said aloud.” Bridgette said softly. “Everyone knew that.”

“But he’s not anymore.” Noah bit back. “Not since Alejandro got his claws into him.”

“And look what happened, Alejandro tossed him away after a day.” Geoff countered. “Cody will come running back to you as soon as he sees you.”

“Maybe I don’t want him back.” Noah glared at the blonde pair. “Not after watching that. Cody’s clearly got bigger fish to fry, I was just a passing phase for him, until a hotter dude came along.” The words stung his throat, like he was speaking acid. How much longer was this going to hurt for?

“You can’t fully blame Cody.” Bridgette spoke, still not looking directly at Geoff. “It’s so easy to fall for Alejandro’s words when you’re at your weakest, or just feeling so alone. I didn’t have Geoff there with me, and I know it was wrong what I did, but I can see why Cody did the same. He was missing you like mad, then someone charming told him lies about you, that you had never really cared. His insecurities took over his logical thinking.” She said her words clearly, she knew what she was talking about.

Noah sighed again, sinking back onto his bed, narrowly missing Duncan’s knee. He hadn’t said he could sit on his bed. “I don’t blame him, not really. We weren’t even together; I have no right to say who he can and can’t go with. It just hurts, that he would actually believe that I would say that about him or get with Owen and just laugh at him. I don’t know what I’m going to do or say when he gets here.”

“You shouldn’t give up on Cody though.” Duncan cut in. “You two little nerds had something cute going on, don’t let that asshole ruin it all. You don’t know if something like that is going to come around again, don’t toss it all down the drain out of spite.”

Noah squinted up at him. Was this the closest to kind words he was going to get from Duncan? Well it was more than he’d ever expected at all.

“Just, speak with him when he gets here, clear the air and all that shit.” Duncan rolled his eyes. “Tell him how you really feel, put all the cards on the table, and if Cody has any brains at all, he’ll pick you.”

“Yeah man.” Geoff agreed, nodding encouragingly. “Look, me and Bridge are proof, you can get past it.” He smiled at her, sweetly and still sickeningly in love with the surfer.

Noah watched her return it confidently. If they could get back together after everything, maybe he and Cody still had a shot. If he could convince Cody that everything Alejandro had said about him wasn’t true, and if Cody could prove to Noah that he only had eyes for him, then yeah, maybe he’d give it another go.

“Yeah, maybe.” Noah wasn’t promising anything, but he did feel a bit better now. “I get the pep talk from you two, and I appreciate it, but what are you doing here?” He looked at Duncan. “Why do you care? You were on his side.”

“Only when it suited me.” Duncan shrugged. “Guy’s a douchebag, I’m not friends with him. Plus, I know what I did was wrong, cheating on Courtney like that. And I got what I deserved, Gwen’s just picked Trent all over again. Now Courtney’s all drooly eyed over a creep that she can’t see doesn’t give two shits about her. I want that guy taken down.”

“So what, you’re here to help me plot revenge?” Noah smirked.

“Yeah, if you want.” Duncan hadn’t picked up on the sarcasm, fully serious.

“I’ll keep that in mind when he get’s here.” Noah laughed. “Now all of you get out, I’m napping before they arrive.”

The three left, and Noah lay back on his bed, feeling less cold and empty inside after their talk. That little spark of hope in his heart had returned, and he prayed that Cody was having the same second thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cody had had a similar talk with Heather in Drumheller, unbeknownst to Noah.

“What you did was stupid, y’know.”

Cody turned to where Heather was, scuffling about amongst the rubble, the two of them looking for stuff for Sierra and a ticket out of this hellhole.

“I didn’t blow up the plane.” Cody was confused.

“Not that! That was all your stalkers fault.” Cody twitched at that. Sure, Sierra was nuts, but she was growing on him, he could even call her a real friend by now.

“I’m talking about what you did with Alejandro. In first class, then how you were all over him on Easter Island.” Heather’s head popped up from behind a charred seat.

“Oh, so you’re mad at me for going with your boyfriend who you _totally_ hate.” Cody rolled his eyes; he wasn’t in the mood for this. Even after Alejandro had revealed that he knew that Heather had tried to vote him off, she was still standing up for him?

Cody was already feeling like absolute crap after that brief fling. It had left him hurting harder than ever, the quick relief of someone wanting him had been squashed in the space of 30 hours. His heart felt like it had been on a rollercoaster, then crushed to a pulp and blown to smithereens, too much emotion for one organ. Alejandro had went from kissing him and calling him beautiful in the first-class lounge, to giving him the boot after losing in Easter Island, uncaring and harshly, no longer having a need for Cody. Realistically, Cody knew that he’d only done that with Alejandro because he was confused and messed up, and Alejandro had been so sweet and comforting, that he hadn’t ever resisted.

Noah was right, he was a slut.

And that was what was really killing Cody right now. He could handle being dropped by Alejandro, he hadn’t really liked him to begin with, he was just another Justin to Cody. But if what he’d said about Noah was true, then Cody couldn’t deal with that. He didn’t want to believe the words, but the evil little voice in his head was laughing at Cody, telling him that he was an idiot, to not have noticed what Noah and Owen’s relationship really was like. That he had eagerly offered himself up to Noah whenever he got the chance like a toy, and Noah had only wanted him to fuck around with, that he didn’t really want him as a boyfriend. If he had, surely Noah would have brought it up by now? Their ‘thing’ had been going on for ages now, he’d had plenty of chances.

Cody had cried in the plane’s hold that night, as they travelled over the ocean to Drumheller. He’d curled up in the sheets, still smelling of Noah and himself, the fairy lights swinging as he went over everything that had happened in the past two years. Back on the Island, when he’d asked Noah to kiss him, he tried to believe that it had only been for the intention to see how he felt about guys. But he also knew he’d asked Noah because he’d always found him cute. Then after that first kiss, it had rocked Cody’s world, turned everything he’d ever known upside down, and just like his craze for candy, Cody always wanted more. He’d liked Trent just fine, but it didn’t compare to how he felt for Noah. Noah had been his first kiss, his first time.

His first love.

And now he’d fucked it all up. He didn’t know how much of what had happened between himself and Alejandro would air, surely not much since this wasn’t an 18rated show, but some of it would definitely be in the episode. Cody already knew that this was it, the world was going to know now that he was bisexual. He’d have to worry about facing his parents and all the tabloids later. Right now he was more focused on how Noah will react; it didn’t take a genius to know what Cody had done. Would Noah even care? And if he did, how was Cody going to fix it, to tell Noah how he really felt, and if he even had a chance with the gorgeous tanned boy anymore.

“Pfft, don’t be gross Cody.” Heather’s voice brought his attention back to earth. “I don’t care what he gets up to, until it messes up my friends.”

“Are we even friends though?” Cody could never tell.

“Duh! You think I’d have kept you around if I didn’t think you were at least a little bit ok? You’re not exactly useful for my win, so it’s literally only because I find your company, urgh, not awful. This had better not air by the way!” She glared at nothing. “So as a friend, I’m telling you that what you did was stupid as hell, but not for the reasons you think.”

“Ok, lay it on me then.” Cody sighed. He may as well let Heather tear into him too.

“I just don’t get why you even did go with him?” Heather accused. “You have Noah!”

“Noah doesn’t want me.” Cody felt the tears pricking at his eyes as he said it aloud.

“Bullshit.” Heather snipped back. “That nerd is head over heels in love with you. Everybody knows it. And you slept with him, I thought you were into him! So why drop all of that for Alejandro’s ickyness?”

“Noah only wanted me for sex, he was crazy about Owen all along, not me.”

Heather rounded on him, her form dangerous and as fierce as ever. For someone ice cold, Cody hadn’t ever expected to have a heart-to-heart with her.

“And who told you that? Noah himself?”

Cody sat for a moment, biting his lip. He wished it had been Noah himself, that would have been less cruel. “No.”

“It was Alejandro wasn’t it?” Heather guessed immediately, and Cody nodded, no point in denying it. “And why the fuck would you believe something he tells you about Noah? He hated him. All he wanted to do was get you in his corner and out of Noah’s, so he could exploit your weaknesses and make you into his next puppet.”

“But Noah’s never told me how he feels, not really.” Cody shrugged.

“I think he has; you just weren’t listening.” Heather sat down opposite him, her chin in the palm of her hand. “It was Alejandro that called you easy, not Noah.”

“How do you know about that?” Cody hadn’t told her what exactly had gone down. He’d felt ashamed from the harsh words, there was no way he was going to blabber about it to anybody else. He knew Heather must have worked it out for herself, but he hadn’t inputted anything, especially not those stabbing words.

“After the time I covered for you in Jamaica, as soon as you and Sierra were in the kitchens, I went back to go yell at Alejandro, and he was still talking to Noah, taunting him.”

Cody was listening. Ever the optimist, he was praying to hear that it had all been a lie. He wanted to believe in Noah so much.

“It was Alejandro saying that you go for anyone who even smiles at you, and it was Noah arguing back, practically begging Alejandro to not go near you.”

“Yeah, because he knew I probably would have done it.” Cody cut back; his voice bitter. He’d expected that from Alejandro, truthfully. “And look at that, I did.”

“Or because he was terrified that he’d lose you, and just wanted to protect you from Alejandro’s sneakiness.” Heather countered. “Noah was the first to work out what Alejandro was doing with Bridgette and the other girls, and Bridgette had always been faithful before. Even she fell for it. It wasn’t a lack of faith in you, it was a lack of trust in Alejandro to leave people alone.”

Cody didn’t respond, sniffing when he felt the tears come, unable to say all that was going through his head.

“I don’t know what to do.” He sniffled at last, Heather surprisingly still waiting patiently, looking at him with sympathy.

“You’re going to get your butt in gear and meet me in Hawaii, then we’re going to kick Alejandro’s ass.” She grinned at him. “Then you’re going to reunite with Noah, kiss him senseless, tell him you love him and want to have his babies, then get married in the sunset or whatever floats your gay boat I guess.”

“I’d have to divorce Sierra first.” Cody couldn’t help but giggle, but Heather’s upbeat confidence was lifting his spirits at least. “But what if he doesn’t want to talk to me at all? He must be so mad at me right now.”

“If he has a shred of sense, he won’t blame you, and will want you back in seconds.” Heather reassured him, pulling him to his feet. “Now let’s go and win this!”

Cody couldn’t help but smile at her, and maybe he wouldn’t tell her right now, but she really was his friend.

“Are you guys ok? Heather, you’d better not be trying anything with my man!” Sierra’s voice called out from the other side of the rubble.

“We’re good, don’t worry!” Cody shouted back, to another girl he never would have thought he’d be so fond of in the end.

“Just helping Cody with his boy problems!” Heather yelled back. “What? She had to find out eventually.” Heather shrugged to Cody as he winced at Sierra’s shriek. “Now go sort out your friend and I’ll see you both in Hawaii!”

And with a wicked grin, Heather was gone, and Cody made his way to Sierra, knowing he owed her an explanation and to tell her the truth at last.

\------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry!!   
> It was tension time. And Alejandro is great at messing with people and their relationships. Plus, his whole deal with Cody in the Easter Island episode was uh, questionable, so I added it in as this! Not so yay for Noah though.   
> Honestly, I've gotta write more Heather and Cody, I love their dynamic!   
> Final chapter is ready to go next Sunday <3 <3


	7. Aloha, Finale.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale of World Tour is here, and Noah and Cody are reunited at last!

Noah was pacing back and forth on the sands, biting his nails.

He was on edge, nerves high at watching Alejandro and Cody battle on that shaky raft. The three finalists and Sierra had made it to Hawaii, and now Cody and Alejandro had to fight for second place. He was terrified for Cody right now, he wasn’t the strongest dude in the world, and didn’t stand a chance against a buff muscled beast like Alejandro.

But he was also shaking in his boots about what he’d say to Cody when he finally got to speak to him privately, how to even approach him.

“You’re disarmed, and now dis-platformed!” Alejandro’s snide voice grated Noah’s ears.

“Cody!” Sierra screamed from nearby, and Noah watched, eyes wide with fear as his former teammate smacked Cody into the shark infested waters with no care whatsoever.

Noah was frozen, his feet unwilling to move as Cody swam frantically for the shore. Sierra, ever the first to save Cody, reacted instantly, wheeling to the ocean and doing her best to rescue him. Noah was hot on her tail, as well as most of the others, worried for their friend.

Cody lay flat on the sand, coughing up seawater and dry heaving, as Sierra came back to his side and Noah sank to his knees in front of him.

“Shit, Cody.” He panted, trying to lift him gently.

“Don’t!” Harold was quick on the scene, muttering something about first aid camp and thumping Cody on the back. Noah grimaced as Cody puked to his side, accepting the bottle of water from Gwen.

“Urgh, guess I’m out.” Cody wheezed at last, slumping onto his side, instinctively resting his head against Noah’s thigh. “Oh, shit, sorry.” He realised his actions, and went to move, but Noah held him down gently.

“Yep, it’s between those two demons now.” Noah replied.

“Go Heather.” Cody smiled weakly and finger gunned up at him.

Noah felt his heart burn at such a small slip of a smile from the other. Maybe he still had a chance.

“Hey Noah.” Cody greeted him quietly, looking up at Noah with his red-rimmed eyes.

“Hey Cody.” Noah spoke softly, stroking his sandy cheek. He hadn’t seen the other in person in weeks, and this all felt so much at once.

Cody beamed up at him, clearly not seeming outraged at Noah. Hopefully that meant he’d realised that Alejandro had been lying by now.

“Hands off my husband! Ohhhh, I’m so mad at you Noah!” Sierra broke the moment, her arms crossed, huffing at the boy.

“Oh, what for?” Noah rolled his eyes sarcastically. Had she finally gotten a clue?

“Cody told me what happened between you two.”

Cody smiled sheepishly, sitting up out of Noah’s lap. “Sierra…”

“Everything?” Noah wanted to know how much Cody had actually revealed.

“Everything.” She looked ready to bite his head off.

“Everything, plane hold, everything?” Noah teased.

“Yep.”

“Oh, cool.” Noah laughed. She looked furious. “I would say I’m sorry, but I’m not.”

“Sierra, we talked about this, chill.” Cody cut in between the two. “Sorry, but she deserved to know. She’s my best friend.” Cody shot a look to Noah.

“Best friend?” Noah was a little surprised at that, but he could see the fondness Cody had for her now. He still believed that Cody wasn’t into her, whether she did or not.

“That’s right, and as best friend, you have to get through _me_ first to try anything with him again, after you tore him apart.” Sierra hissed at him, jumping into psycho protective bestie duties immediately.

“Ok! Let’s get back to the show! Somebody go clean Cody up and we’ll meet back in 15!” Chris interrupted, bringing everyone back to focus on the end of the show.

\--------------

Noah had let Cody tug him into the bathrooms with him, coconut bra and grass skirt and all. Geoff and Owen had followed, until Bridgette had coughed a whole lot and they’d finally taken the hint and left the pair alone.

Cody changed into his normal clothes in the stall, all while Noah fretted with his hair and face in the mirror, feeling more nervous than ever.

“Dressed.” Cody announced, exiting the tiny stall and hopping onto the counter of the sink. “Can you pass me the first aid kit? I wanna clean this up a bit.” He gestured to the box that was still in Noah’s hands.

“Uh, yeah sure. Where are you hurt most?” Noah jumped awake, popping off the lid and rummaging through the kit. Anything to distract himself from Cody.

“Mm, arms I think.” Cody murmured, rolling up his sleeves and revealing red burnt skin and a lot of cuts from his tumble in the ocean.

“Ok.” Noah stuttered, shuffling towards the sink and handing bandages and wipes to Cody.

He watched in silence as Cody tried his best to wrap himself up. He couldn’t stand it anymore as Cody struggled with trying to hold the tape properly or keep his sleeves up.

“Here, let me help.” Noah sighed, stepping in between Cody’s legs and taking the roll of bandage from him.

Cody didn’t respond as Noah wiped away the grit in his cuts, only wincing slightly at the sting. The roll of tape still hung from his mouth, stupidly cute and making Noah wanting to do nothing but swipe it from between his teeth and kiss him again.

They didn’t speak, and that age-old electricity was back between them, like how it had been right at the start, something was going unsaid between them again. Something awkward and uneven.

“Noah…” Cody was the first to break the silence.

“Mm?” Noah half-responded, focusing on tightening the bandage.

“How much of it aired?” Cody didn’t have to say _what._ They both knew what he meant.

Noah kept his lips firmly sealed, staring at the fibres of the wrapping as if he could burn holes through it.

“Noah.” Cody tried again, shaking him a little. “Noah.”

“What?” Noah spat out at last. The simmering anger and hurt was beginning to bubble to the top at last, the question making him remember having to watch that scene again.

“How much of it aired. With…with Alejandro…” Cody’s face was red, his eyes downcast and unable to look at Noah.

“The blowjob didn’t air, don’t worry, they’d have to up the rating for that part.” Noah finished up, closing up the box. “But him kissing you and telling you a bunch of bullshit about me, yeah that did. So sorry, yeah, the producers have outed you, and made it pretty obvious we’ve fucked around, and now you and Alejandro too.”

“I don’t even care anymore.” Cody sounded tired of it all. “Fuck it, I just don’t care, it’s 2010, I can be bisexual publicly if I want to be.”

“Cool.” Noah knew his temper was starting to get the best of him right now, but he didn’t give a shit anymore either.

“So…was it true?”

“Was what true?”

“That you called me easy. Heather said you didn’t but please just tell me if you did.”

“No, I wouldn’t. Not ever.” Noah meant his words, meeting Cody’s eyes for emphasis. “None of what he said to you was. I’ve never wanted Owen like that either, we’ve literally only kissed at New Year’s and that was during the dares.”

“Ok, cool.” Cody half-smiled at him at last.

“But the rest of it, that he wanted you and thought you were beautiful, that was all bullshit too, you know that right? Just to use you as leverage against Heather.” Noah spat out. He knew the words probably hurt Cody, at least a little, but he deserved some truth for once.

“Yeah…” Cody rubbed at his wrists, uncomfortable. “I…I don’t know why I thought he meant it at the time.”

“Because you were sleep deprived and jumping on the first sign of not-so-obvious craziness. You just wanted somebody to be nice to you.” Noah shrugged nonchalantly.

Cody winced at that, and Noah realised his mistake. He’d basically just worded ‘easy’ in a different way at that remark and Cody had picked up on it.

“Do you hate me now?” Cody’s voice was small and tearful.

Noah squinted at him, seeing how spent Cody looked now. He could never hate him, even after everything.

“Of course not.” Noah whispered, still all up in Cody’s space. “I…I’m just hurt, I guess. That you went with him.”

“We weren’t dating though.” Cody said, then covered his mouth quickly, as if he hadn’t meant to say that.

Noah felt like an ice-cold knife had went through his heart. Cody was right, who was he to tell Cody who he could and couldn’t go with? They were friends who just got together sometimes. But Noah was sick of it.

“I know.” He said bitterly. “But it still fucking hurt.”

“I’m sorry, it hurt me too.” Cody looked at him with his puppy-dog eyes.

That angered Noah, and he didn’t even know why. “Did it though? Even if it didn’t get aired, I saw most of it in the behind the scenes clips they make us watch. You seemed pretty ok with it at the time!”

“At the time, yeah!” Cody reacted, pulling Noah up flush against him, his hips bumping into the sink. “But never again, I’m sorry!” He gripped Noah by the chin and kissed him fiercely and rough.

Noah felt his hurt burning, with love and with pain, all at once. He hated himself for falling into it, kissing Cody back with passion, harder than he ever had before. Cody had his arms wrapped around Noah’s shoulders, doing his best to try and show Noah how much he liked to kiss him, not Alejandro.

Then Noah had flashes of the video clip in his mind, Cody climbing into Alejandro’s lap, then sinking between his legs, looking up at the Spaniard with his teal blue eyes, and it sent a spike of jealousy right to his brain.

“Are you going to go with him again?” He hissed.

“Nnn…no.” Cody stuttered, gasping as Noah sunk his fingernails into the top of Cody’s thighs.

“What do I have to do to make you pick _me?”_ Noah growled against his mouth, kissing Cody hard. “Don’t you get it yet? How I feel about you?” 

“I…I…Noah!” Cody tugged at his shoulder when Noah scoffed at his lack of words and went to walk away. “Calm down!” Cody pulled Noah roughly against him, until his hips hit the sink hard, back between Cody’s legs. “Will you shut up for a minute?” He was as pissed as Noah now, the fire contagious between them.

“No, I wanna go.” Noah was straining against his hold, wanting out of this situation, out of this moment where he felt like his heart was shattering. “Let’s just get you back out there and finish this stupid show.”

“No!” Cody protested again, this time using his legs to keep Noah tight against him, wrapping them around Noah’s waist. “I don’t want fucking Alejandro!”

“But you don’t want me.”

Cody stared at him, his jaw slack and tears in his eyes. He didn’t have to say anything more.

“I knew it.” Noah felt the bile rise in his throat.

He was such an idiot.

He _knew t_ his was going to happen. He always had. Ever since that night on the docks nearly two summers ago, when he had vowed to himself that it would be a one-time deal, that he wouldn’t fall for Cody. But he’d been stupid, letting his heart overtake every rational part of his brain, grasping at tiny hints of love and affection, thinking that it would be different.

That Cody would maybe love him back.

“Uh guys…”

Noah and Cody’s heads spun to the doorway to the bathroom, unaware that Harold had been standing there.

“What?” Cody groaned.

“Uhm, Chris says you two need to finish up, like right now. We’re going back on air.” Harold stood there like a cardboard cut-out, feeling more awkward than ever. Hey, he was just the messenger.

“Fine.” Noah took the opportunity, pushing Cody off of him and flouncing out of the room.

“Y’know Noah, for a genius you sure can be a total idiot sometimes!” He heard Cody shout back after him, and Noah did his best to hold back the tears, heading for Owen and his friends.

\------------

After everything, Heather still hadn’t gotten her money.

Technically, she’d won, with the help of Cody and Howard, but ever the freak, Ezekiel had stolen it from her, and they’d exploded a volcano in the meantime. Everybody had fled down the mountainside and into the ocean.

Noah was treading water, doing his best to keep his head afloat as they all swam for the shore. Not the one with lava spouting all over it.

“Noah.” He heard a familiar voice coming up behind him.

Noah tried to swim faster, but sports had never been his forte.

“Wait Noah!” Cody repeated, and he ignored him once more, getting to shallow enough water that he could stand and begin to stagger in the sand.

Most of the others were ahead of them, the two nerds being not the most athletic of the group. That, and everybody else wanted to party, or get patched up.

Noah trudged up the beach, his soaking wet clothes dragging him down, out of breath and out of tears. Tyler and Lindsay were a few steps behind as well as a certain gap-toothed boy. Noah heard Cody panting somewhere behind him, then a thud.

Noah couldn’t help it, he turned to see that Cody had fallen to his knees, his hands to his face, tears spilling from his eyes.

“Uh…” Noah wasn’t sure now. Was he hurt? He wasn’t just going to leave him, now matter how much Cody had upset him earlier.

“I’m in love with you!” Cody burst out. “I’ve been trying to tell you that for months, you idiot!”

“What?” Noah stood still, watching as an apologetic Lindsay and Tyler scooted past, quick to get away from this public display.

“I’m not saying it again.” Cody hugged himself, still weeping. “Not when you don’t care.”

“I’m not sure I believe you, that’s all.” Noah admitted, his feet finally moving and making his way to the other. “Are you saying it just to make me feel better? To apologize for earlier?”

“No!” Cody shot back. “And I’m also not apologizing for the bathroom, because I never turned you down, you just didn’t give me a chance to get the words out!”

“Oh…” Noah crouched down in front of him. “Sorry.” He could at least admit when he’d fucked up.

“I’m…I know this probably isn’t how or where you wanted to hear it.” Cody murmured to himself. “If you even wanted to hear it at all.”

“It doesn’t matter where, it’s ok. Of course I’ve wanted to hear you say that. Maybe not with you crying though.” Noah shyly took one of Cody’s hands. He’d had sex with this guy, and suddenly he was anxious to hold hands with him? “Let’s…let’s get to the boat, and talk properly, ok?” He pulled Cody to his feet. “We need to shower.”

Cody laughed at that, intertwining their fingers. “Yeah, we smell like a rockpool right now.”

They didn’t speak as they made it to Geoff’s party boat, both lost in their own thoughts and what they were going to say. Cody excused himself to use a shower, while Noah headed to his room, saying he’d meet him in twenty minutes in the dining hall. Not the most romantic of places, but oh well.

When he got there, Cody was already waiting, still damp, but this time from warm water, not the ocean. Unfortunately, Beth and Eva were there too, chattering away.

“Can we go to your room?” Cody smiled weakly at him.

“Sure.” Noah led the way, letting Cody in.

Cody took a hold of his hand, making for the bed. Noah expected them to fall down onto the mattress, but Cody just swiped one of the lighter blankets on top, before heading for the small balcony, Noah in tow.

He settled down on the floor, and Noah sat beside him, letting Cody wrap them both in the blanket. The noise of the party starting up was above them, but Noah wasn’t focused on that.

“So…” He didn’t know how to begin this.

“Do you love me then?” Cody was straight to the point.

Noah squinted at him. Hadn’t he said that earlier?

“Because you accused me of not knowing how you felt earlier, and I’m just a bit confused, because you’ve never actually told me how you do feel about me. It’s always just been kisses or sex, but never vocally expressed, and I don’t know…” Cody ranted. “I just, I feel like maybe you just wanted to play around, like everybody else does with me, and that’s fine if you do, but it’s not how I feel anymore. Not for a long time.”

“I never did say it, did I?” Noah laughed ruefully. His mother had been right. How could he have expected Cody to have just taken the hint and got on with it? He wasn’t a mind reader.

“No.”

“I’m sorry.” Noah turned his head, resting his forehead against Cody’s shoulder. “I kept thinking, if I just kept quiet, somehow you would understand, just magically get what I was thinking. And then we’d be together, just like that, or something.”

“You’re kinda hard to read Noah.” Cody said, toying with Noah’s long hair.

“I know, I’m so dumb sometimes, you’re right.” Noah laughed at himself. “I was thinking, if I just don’t say it, I’d either still end up with you somehow, or never have to deal with heartbreak, one or the other. I was a coward.”

“You still didn’t answer my question.” Cody said softly, his shoulders tensing.

Noah smiled. He knew the answer, he’d known it for months, and hell, he’d probably felt it for much longer.

“I do love you Cody. I’m so, so stupidly in love with you.”

Cody grinned at him, positively radiating happiness and love for Noah in return, so much that Noah could practically feel the adoration in his expression. Or Cody slinging a leg over Noah’s and kissing him senseless could do the trick too.

Noah kissed back, the angle odd and a little messy from the pair of them smiling so stupidly while still attempting to make out. Eventually they had to break for air.

“Cool.” Cody smirked and finger gunned Noah.

Noah couldn’t handle it, how silly he could be at times, bursting into laughter at the sight of this dorky try-hard cool kid who he had to fall in love with. He wouldn’t pick anybody else.

“You’re such a nerd sometimes.” Noah stuttered at last, when his giggles had died down.

“Maybe, but you like that.” Cody winked.

Now that Noah had admitted his feelings, the anxious self-doubting Cody had been replaced with a flirty and confident boy. Noah knew exactly which one he preferred.

“True.” Noah kissed him again, lightly. “So, nerd, wanna be my boyfriend?”

“Hmmmm.” Cody pretended to debate the question, bringing a finger to his lips and squinting at Noah, looking him up and down. “That could work, yes.”

“Cool.” Noah could feel his cheeks were hurting from how hard he was smiling right now, and he returned Cody’s gesture from earlier, pointing the finger guns and making Cody cry with laughter. It was music to his ears.

“Just to be clear,” Cody had a hand in Noah’s hair, the other on his cheek, making Noah look him in the eyes. This seemed important. “When I saw I want to be boyfriends, I mean it. I mean, if we go upstairs holding hands and people ask if we’re together now, or we’ve worked it out, I want to say yes.” He held his gaze, looking serious.

Noah’s hurt churned with warm pride at that. He couldn’t think of anything better. “Of course. I don’t think anyone would be too surprised either.”

“And” Cody continued, peppering light kisses to Noah’s nose and jaw, unable to stop himself from constantly wanting to kiss him. “And, if we’re in the airport or wherever, or some stupid tabloid photographer shows up or my parents ask, I still want to say you’re my boyfriend. No more sneaking around or hiding who I am.”

Noah felt the flutter in his throat at Cody’s words. That was a major declaration for him.

“You mean it?” He whispered. He hoped this wasn’t just heat of the moment, not really meaning it talk. “You’re coming out?”

“Basically.” Cody shrugged. “I was kinda forced out anyway thanks to the producers and Alejandro, may as well own it.”

“You’ve got this.” Noah bumped their shoulders, excited and proud for his boyfriend. “And I’m here with you all the way, and all your friends will be there for you too.”

“I know.” Cody seemed so much more relaxed now, at peace with himself. “And it rocks to not only take control of my sexuality myself, but to do that with a super cute boyfriend!” He giggled, clutching at Noah’s sides and tickling the other.

“Dorks! Come party!” Duncan’s voice called down to them from the main section of the boat above them.

“Give them a minute! They were having a moment!” Gwen’s voice followed.

“Are you guys dating yet?!” Owen joined in.

“Yes!” Cody yelled back up to the group, and Noah grinned into Cody’s shoulder, his heart pounding at hearing Cody say that.

“Let’s go join them.” Cody staggered to his feet, reaching out a hand for Noah to pull himself up with.

Noah looked at that hand, a hand he’d held a hundred times now, and he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of eternity holding. Cody was looking down at him with a cheesy grin, and Noah returned it, unable to play it cool, not when he knew how happy he was going to be from now on. Even if times were hard, there was going to be at least one little bit of sunshine in Noah’s life, in the shape of Cody. That kiss on the docks had changed everything for them, even if they hadn’t known it at the time, and Noah wouldn’t change a thing. Sure, he could have done without the heartbreak and Alejandro, but he knew not every love story was perfect. He just prayed that he would have the chance to spend the rest of his life turning it into one with Cody. He reached up and took Cody’s hand, his boyfriend linking their fingers together.

As they excited the room, their hands still laced together and both wearing dopey smiles, Noah paused, pulling Cody against him.

“Love you.” He murmured against Cody’s mouth, kissing him softly once more.

“Love you too, Noah.” Cody whispered back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~


	8. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the two month wait!
> 
> But yeah, the epilogue of Cody going home to his parents and deciding what to do with his life. This is definitely a chapter more about Cody's thoughts and feelings than anything, and it was funny writing the majority of it from his POV instead of Noah's, but I hope you enjoy!

“You ready to go home kid?”

Cody was standing in Vancouver Airport, tired from the flight back from Hawaii, but happier than he’d ever been in his life. He’d cleared things up with Noah, the guy that he could now officially call his boyfriend, and they’d made the most of the last few days together. Kissing and sex was just so much better when you’re in love with each other.

“Cody? I ain’t got all day.”

Chef was huffing, holding out Cody’s ticket back to Quebec, a flight that would take him back to his hometown of Dolbeau Mistassini, and back to his parents who he knew were less than thrilled with him right now.

“Uh…” Cody faltered.

Everything had been aired, his hook up with Alejandro, his new relationship with Noah and their history splattered all over the fan sites and tabloids, his sexuality a secret no more. His parents had never been the kindest, and he’d known all along that they were homophobic, he just hadn’t realised _how_ cold they could be.

He’d tried calling them a few times since the news had gotten out, but they hadn’t picked up. That was enough to tell Cody that he wasn’t welcome there anymore.

But he still had his final exams to take, and he couldn’t just suddenly switch schools a month before they were over, and he really wanted to do his best. Even if he wasn’t sure what his future held for him, university or a life of showbiz, but he knew that he wanted his grades at least.

He just didn’t want to face them alone.

“I…I’m staying here. In Vancouver.” Cody said at last.

“You sure?” Chef didn’t seem surprised. Behind him, Chris was waving at the cameras, milking up all the attention.

“Yeah.” Cody felt conflicted still, but he knew he’d probably feel like that for a while. “Noah said I could stay with him and his family.”

“Good choice.” Chef gifted Cody with one of his rare smiles.

Though he never said it to them, Chef did see most of the cast as his kids. He had a soft spot for Cody, as well as some of the others. He just wanted the boy to be ok, and if he stuck around with Noah, he probably would be.

“Yeah?” Cody sounded a little more confident with Chef’s approval, and as Noah made his way over to them, waving goodbye to Izzy and Eva.

“Yeah what?” Noah butted in.

“I’m…I’m gonna stay.” Cody answered. Noah had offered a hundred times, and even his mother had asked him to stay on the phone, but Cody had still been on the fence with the decision, going back and forth in his head. He didn’t want to intrude on Noah’s life like that or be a burden.

“You are?” Noah couldn’t hide his happiness at Cody’s reply, taking a hold of Cody’s hand. Cody didn’t shake him off, even though some camera crew had probably snapped a picture. He didn’t care, not anymore. He wanted to show the world how much he was in love with this guy.

“Mmhmm, if you’re still ok with that?” Cody smiled at him, and Chef watched the two fall for each other harder with each moment. It melted his cold, cold heart.

“Course I am!” Noah reassured. “My family’s waiting on the other side of the gate, they’ll be so excited to hear your staying.”

“Cool!” Cody giggled, turning his attention back to Chef. “Thanks for everything though. For the help with my parents.”

“No problem kid.” Chef ruffled Cody’s hair. “You boys have it a bit nicer now than when I came out, but it still ain’t easy for everyone. When you find someone you love like that, you hold onto them.” That made Cody smile and Noah blush. “No matter how much of a pain they can be, it’s usually still worth.” He shot a look over his shoulder to Chris doing various elaborate poses for the cameras. “Just keep following your heart, and you’ll be ok. See you around sometime. Call me if you ever need someone’s ass kicked in.” And with one last rough, affectionate smack to the shoulder to each of them, Chef marched off, grabbing Chris by the arm and pulling them to their gate for Toronto.

“Aww, who knew Chef could be so soft.” Cody laughed, but he felt lighter at such an exchange with the hard, ex-military man. “Wait, he said he came out? Was he talking about with Chris?!”

“You’re so blind sometimes.” Noah chuckled and nodded, finding it hilarious that Cody had never picked up on their relationship. “Let’s go home.”

“Home.” Cody smiled brightly at that, squeezing Noah’s hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cody had been met with the warmest familial embrace in his life when Chandra saw that Cody was coming back with them. Even if it wasn’t his own mother, it still felt like home and safety. Noah’s father and siblings and his million and one nieces and nephews and cousins all were a bundle of excitement and joy too, and Cody let himself be wrapped up in it all, pushing the thought of his parents to the dark corners of his brain.

He let himself be pushed into a full car, practically in Noah’s lap, not that he minded, as they drove back to the house in Vancouver, preparing himself for the welcome home party.

As Cody gazed out the window, taking in every part of Vancouver that he could, he let his mind drift. He loved this city, from the brief time he’d been before, and now seeing the parks and streets, he realised that now he had all the time in the world to explore it.

This was going to be his city.

Noah squeezed his hand, bringing Cody back to earth. They shared a quick glance, and Cody squeezed back tenderly, reassuring Noah that he was ok.

The welcome-home party was a blast, full of delicious food and drink, a lot of noise and plenty of laughter. Noah’s family asked Cody a million questions, and he felt at home among them all. Noah got riled up by his little cousins making fun of him for losing in London, then for having a boyfriend, and Cody stifled a giggle as Noah chased them around the garden, red in the face as the children made kissing noises and sang a teasing song about getting married and trees.

It wasn’t until nearly midnight that he and Noah finally got to be alone.

They were in Noah’s room, putting away their things, the few meagre items that Cody had with him from his trip during World Tour quickly got lost amongst a bedroom full of 18 years’ worth of Noah’s junk.

“We can go shopping tomorrow, get you more clothes and some books and that.” Noah said, like he’d read Cody’s thoughts. “And you can use whatever of mine that you like, I have plenty to share.”

“Thanks, that’d be nice.” Cody sat on the bed, his knees up to his chin and his phone still in his hand.

“Still nothing?” Noah said softly, sitting down beside him.

Cody shook his head. As much as he was upset with his parents, they had raised him. He just wanted an answer.

“I’m sure you’ll hear from them soon.” Noah rubbed Cody’s arm gently, caring as ever. “Then we’ll know exactly what to do and where to go from there.”

“Huh?” Cody didn’t quite get what Noah meant. “Like, to continue the relationship?” Cody panicked. He’d likely just lost his family and his whole life at home; he didn’t want to lose Noah too.

“No, dork.” Noah grinned at him, kissing Cody’s forehead lovingly. “I’m quite fond of you Cody, in case I haven’t made that obvious already.” Cody smiled at the words, leaning his head onto Noah’s shoulder. He still twiddled with the phone in his palm.

“I meant, once we get a clear response from them, then we know what to do about your school. If you’re able to just take the exams here or if you have to go back to Quebec.”

“Oh god, yeah. Fuck, I think I have to go back for that.” Cody sighed. He wasn’t looking forward to it. “And all my stuff, I don’t want them to trash my computer or my keyboard.”

“We’ll go and pick it all up, don’t worry.” Noah replied. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. Let’s sleep, yeah?”

“Sounds perfect.” Cody yawned, kissing Noah quickly before getting up to brush his teeth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cody awoke sometime in the late morning, the bed empty and the sunlight flittering through the gap in the curtains.

He stretched, flopping onto his back, hearing clattering and voices downstairs, knowing that Noah was probably down in the kitchen at this time. He was ready to close his eyes, drift off for another half hour or so, but something was bugging him. The buzzing of his mobile vibrating on the nightstand was what it was, Cody realised after it went again.

Cody yawned and flipped open the phone, expecting it to be Sierra or Gwen. He had promised he’d call them the next day, make sure they got home ok.

“’Lo?” His voice was still slurred with sleep.

“Cody?! Have you ever heard of answering a phone? I’ve been trying to call you for half the morning!”

“Dad?” Cody sat up quickly, alert and awake in seconds.

“Cody.” His fathers voice was cold and stilted, Cody could tell even through the phone. “You’ve got some explaining to do.”

“Uhhh…” Cody didn’t know where to begin. He’d spent the past week practicing what he would say when the moment came, but now that it was here, his mind was blank.

“For starters, where are you? We were expecting you back yesterday.”

“I’m in Vancouver.” Cody ran a hand through his hair, feeling the panic set in. This happened a lot when he talked to his dad.

“At Noah’s.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement.

“Ye…yeah.” Cody stammered; all his confidence shattered already.

“Figured.” His dad huffed. “So, there goes the little shred of hope I had that this was all some demented publicity stunt. You’re actually with him?”

“Yeah.” Cody was finding it hard to speak, his throat felt like it was closing up.

“I’m not surprised, he’s been a thorn in your side for too long now. I knew we should have stopped you going on that show, I knew it would do nothing but corrupt you.”

“I’m…there’s nothing wrong with me.” Cody tried to fight back.

Cody felt sick as he heard his father laugh bitterly down the line. Noah had plodded back into the room, carrying a cup of coffee. He frowned when he saw Cody on the phone, but didn’t say a word, placing the cup down and sitting beside him on the bed.

“Parents?” He mouthed to Cody as Cody reached for Noah’s hand immediately.

Cody nodded, his eyes wide and his breath short, feeling Noah’s thumb rub gently against his hand.

“You need to come back Cody, we need to sort this out.”

“Nn.” Cody was feeling the tears well up.

“No, no crying. You know it’s for the best. You’ve already made your mother and I the laughing stock of the town, you need to get your butt in gear and get back to where you belong.”

“I…I’m coming back yeah.” Cody saw Noah’s eyes widen with shock at the words. “But only to take my exams and get my stuff.” Holding onto Noah had made his courage return, at least a little.

“Don’t be silly, you can stay for the exams, then we’ll get you some help over the summer. You’re very sick Cody. You’re mother and I talked; we’re willing to accept you back into the home again if you agree to get better.”

Cody stilled; he knew what his father was meaning.

There was a little camp, not too far from his town, that he’d heard boys like himself and Noah had been sent to before. There, they were given ‘therapy’ to fix their ‘sins’ and Cody knew not all of them made it back out.

He’d rather die than go there.

“There’s nothing wrong with me.” He repeated.

“Now we both know that’s not true.” His father’s tone was condescending, making Cody want to throw up. “You’re living a life of sin, committing sinful acts, and we can turn it around before it goes to far. Before that boy ruins you even further.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No. No. No, I am not going there.” Cody sputtered out. Noah rubbed his back gently, assuring Cody that he was with him.

“Cody, we’re your parents, you don’t get a say in this. You’re mother and I have already dec..”

“I’m eighteen now. I’m an adult.” Cody countered. “You don’t have a hold on me anymore.”

He heard his father laugh ruefully again. “You think you have it all worked out? You’ll end up in the gutter, full of diseases and a life of misery ahead of you.”

“We’ll be there, soon, to get my stuff. If you touch any of it, the police can arrest you.” Cody was just angry now. He hoped the police could actually do that.

“I’m not going to touch your crap Cody, not knowing where that’s been.” His father shot back.

Matthew Anderson was a man who Cody had known his whole life. He had been part of the process that had brought Cody into the world yes, but hearing him talk like this to him, made Cody realise something very important. He had never really cared about Cody, not really, not like how a father should. Cody had just been something he’d kept in the house and occasionally payed attention to, like a houseplant. He didn’t deserve the title of a father.

“You’re deluded, you realise that right?” Matthew was still speaking. “He doesn’t love you. Your type are incapable of it. He wants you for nothing more than some deranged sex, then he’ll leave you, broken and used, then where will you be?”

Cody didn’t have a chance to respond, Noah had reached over and pressed to end the call, the line going dead.

“He disgusts me. I’m not letting you listen to any more of that.”

Noah’s voice was the coldest Cody had ever heard it.

“He…I….” Cody’s throat was eating up all his words. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have just said we’d be back to get my stuff, not without asking.”

“No, no don’t be sorry, oh my god Cody, please don’t apologise to me.” Noah took a hold of Cody’s face, cupping his cheeks and pressing their foreheads together. “You haven’t done anything wrong, not ever. Don’t listen to a word that monster says about you. It’s worse than poison. We’ll be there in a few days, we’ll get your stuff, and you can leave them for good. Ok?”

Cody felt the tears escaping, running down his cheeks, and over Noah’s fingertips. He didn’t seem to care. Cody nodded, feeling completely drained, and it wasn’t even lunchtime.

“I love you Cody Anderson, I really do.” Noah murmured against his lips. “I’m not going to leave you, not ever. If you’ll have me forever.”

“I love you too Noah.” Cody could say that at least. “More than anything.”

Noah smiled against his lips, and Cody returned it shakily, kissing Noah softly.

As Noah kissed him back, Cody ran a hand through Noah’s long hair, already getting lost in his lips. He stretched his legs over Noah’s lap, a comfortable and comforting position, feeling the dread and guilt that his parents had forced him to feel over the years melt away a little bit more, like it did each time he kissed Noah.

How had Cody gotten so lucky?

He wasn’t going to listen to his father, he could tell how much Noah cared for him. He knew how much he adored Noah himself. Noah lowered him gently back into the pillows, the kisses still tender, even as their hands began to wander, dipping lower, beneath the hemline of pyjama pants.

Noah was soft and sweet, their pace slow like they had all the time in the world. Even as Noah nipped at his neck, leaving marks over Cody’s collar bones, his chest, Cody could feel how tender the moment was.

He wasn’t going to go back to them. He was going to go back to Dolbeau Mistassini, but not to stay.

And he sure as hell wasn’t going to leave Noah.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Noah and Cody didn’t tell Noah’s parents exactly what Matthew Anderson had said to his son on the phone, only that Cody had to return to Quebec soon to finish the exams.

They spent the next couple of days buying some new clothes for Cody and just relaxing around Vancouver. Noah got to take Cody out for ice cream and to the movies, like he’d been dreaming of doing for months.

But it had been five days since the phone call, and time was ticking.

“I need to go back.”

Noah knew that was coming at some point, he just hadn’t expected it to be as Cody lay with his head on Noah’s chest, naked and content after a couple of hours of making love.

“Noah?”

Oh, he hadn’t replied.

“Yeah, yeah I heard you.” He ran a fingertip over the ridge of Cody’s spine, feeling him shiver under his touch. Maybe he could distract him instead of thinking about Cody leaving.

“And?” Cody wasn’t being deterred. “Can I go back?”

“What do you mean ‘can’ you?” Noah laughed a little. “I’m not your keeper, you can go where you want.”

“I don’t really want to go though, I just have to.”

“Yeah I know.” Noah sighed. He couldn’t put it off any longer. “You’re not gonna stay with your parents though, right?”

Cody attempted to shake his head, although it was a little hard to do in his position against Noah’s pecs. “Of course not. I was going to book a hotel room and a storage unit for my things.”

“That makes sense.” Noah agreed. “So, when are you thinking of going?”

“Monday.”

Oh, that wasn’t much time, it was currently Thursday. But he did have to take those exams on certain days, Noah knew that.

“Ok.”

“Can…do I come back here? When it’s done?” Cody asked, his voice still and unsure.

Noah frowned, confused at such a question. “Uh, duh? I thought that was already happening?”

“You’re sure? I can stay with Gwen for a bit. I don’t want to be a hassle.” Cody lifted his head to meet Noah’s eyes, his own teal-blue ones shiny and hopeful and capable of making Noah melt with every glance.

“You’re not a pain.” Noah groaned; his arms tight around Cody’s waist. “I _want_ you here. Somewhere safe and where you’re cared for. But I’m not going to force you to stay, it has to be up to you.”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” Cody smiled up at him, and Noah tilted his head down to kiss the other, to show him just how much he loved having Cody here.

Cody had fallen asleep shortly after their little talk, and Noah lay awake, unable to drift off, his mind going haywire. He didn’t want Cody to face it all alone, and to spend three weeks sitting by himself in a hotel room, in a hometown that felt like it was out to get him.

He couldn’t take it anymore, Noah got up, prising out of Cody’s koala grip, making his way to his computer.

Once there, he spent over an hour searching through webpages and for plane tickets. Noah didn’t have a job anymore, but he’d saved up plenty.

Cody wasn’t going to face this alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cody was sitting at the breakfast table the next day, chewing on toast while Chandra and one of Noah’s brother’s sat with him, chatting about last night’s episode of something he’d missed.

He’d scrolled through his phone just a little before they’d joined him, trying to find a nicely priced plane ticket and a hotel that wouldn’t blow his bank for three weeks.

Noah had finally sauntered in past 11 am, heading straight for the coffee pot, and Cody smiled gently as Noah ran a hand over his head as he drifted by.

“Oh, look who’s finally surfaced!” Chandra remarked.

“Bro, how do you still look dead?” Noah’s brother, Charlie, joked.

“Shut up, I was up late, what’s your excuse?” Noah snipped back, sliding into the chair beside Cody and stealing his last slice of toast. “Mornin’” He quickly pressed a kiss to Cody’s cheek, thankfully before he’d taken a bite of his breakfast.

“Can see why you were up late. Cody keep you up eh?” Charlie smirked at them from across the table.

Cody didn’t respond, feeling his cheeks burn, and Noah stuck his tongue out at his older brother, covered in crumbs for extra emphasis.

“Boys!” Chandra reigned them all in with an exasperated but cheerful sigh. “Noah, get your own breakfast, you thief!”

“It’s fine, he can eat it as long as we go and get ice cream again later!” Cody grinned, and Noah nodded, still half asleep.

“Hey mom, did you know Mr Ray is in his garden, he was wanting to say hi.” Noah interjected, mentioning their elderly neighbour who Chandra frequently chatted over the fence with.

“Oh he was? I have to tell him about this new recipe for orange cake I want to try!” Noah’s mother was up in a flash, grabbing her notebook and pen with her and taking off.

“Beat it Charlie.” Noah was less polite with his brother.

“Why? I was here first.” Charlie didn’t have a reason to be there anymore, but now he just wanted to pester his younger brother and his boyfriend. “You can’t bang on the kitchen table; we all eat here.”

“Gross.” Noah snapped back, ignoring the image in his brain now. “Nah, I wanna speak to Cody, go away.”

“Nope. Bribe me.”

Cody rolled his eyes at the two brothers. He was an only child; he had never had the enjoyable experience of tormenting siblings.

Noah continued munching, not saying a word, and Cody was about to cut in when he heard Charlie yelp from across the table.

“OW!”

“I’ll stop if you go away, how’s that for a bribe?” Noah’s face was relaxed, but Cody felt him kick out against his brothers shins the second time.

“Ow, ok, jeez!” Charlie got up, sending daggers to his annoying little brother. “If this is a marriage proposal, you’ve lost me as your best man.”

“That would be Owen anyway, not you and your crunchy shins.”

Cody watched the twenty-year-old leave the kitchen, one last glare to Noah, who sat next to Cody, still unfazed. Cody panicked inwardly, what did Noah want to talk about? Was this about last night? Were they breaking up?

“Morning beautiful.” Noah had finally finished eating, and with one last sip of his coffee, he leant in, placing a hand under Cody’s chin and kissing him sweetly. He tasted like coffee and jam and everything Cody wanted to love forever.

“Thought you said we weren’t having sex on the table.” Cody smirked, kissing him quickly again on the lips, trying to hide his fear.

“Get your mind out the gutter, we have a perfectly good bed. And den in the garden. And sofa when everybody else is asleep.”

Cody giggled at that. He’d felt so naughty the other night, when he’d sucked Noah off with trashy TV playing in the background at 2am. He couldn’t look Noah’s gran in the eye the next day as she sat in the same spot that Noah had, completely unaware.

“So what’s up?” Cody wanted to know.

“Got plane tickets.” Noah announced, pulling out his phone to show Cody the confirmation.

Cody looked at the screen, reading the email.

“Noah, that’s not plane tickets.” He couldn’t believe what he was reading.

Noah looked down to his phone, then swiped for the next one. “Oh sorry, that was the apartment, still half asleep haha. THIS is the one for plane tickets. Leaving at 10am on Monday.”

Cody couldn’t believe it. He had never dared ask Noah to come with him, this was his issue, not Noah’s.

“Tickets? Plural?” He knew he sounded so stupidly hopeful right now.

“Yeah, two.”

“Are…are you coming with me?”

Noah squinted at Cody. “Do you not want me to?”

“No, I do. I really do.” Cody let out a little laugh. “I was just too scared to ask. You’re awesome for doing this, seriously.”

“You don’t have to be scared to ask or tell me anything.” Noah smiled softly at him. This was everything Cody had dreamed of, somebody that understood him, somebody that truly cared. “But yeah, I thought I’d come. Be your moral support, help you study, beat up your dad, y’know?”

Cody laughed again, knowing that Noah wasn’t the type to really fight anyone, but the thought was there. “That would be amazing yeah.” He took a hold of Noah’s hands, linking their fingers. “But the first email, what was that?”

“Oh, that was the confirmation email for the short term stay at an apartment. Somewhere with a view of the river, I’ll show you the address, you probably know where it is.” He said nonchalantly, like he’d just ordered a takeaway, not just spent over $4000 for Cody.

Cody’s eyes popped out of his head when he saw the street. One of the richest parts of town. Sometimes he forgot how well-off Noah was, and his own income from interning with Chris had added to that. “Holy shit Noah!”

“Is it ok? I can book somewhere nicer if you want?” Noah had read his exclamation wrong. “I just figured that an apartment might be better than a hotel room, a kitchen and a garden and that, might feel a bit more normal. If it’s hard for you to…”

Cody cut off his rambling, grabbing Noah by the cheeks and kissing him hard. God, he loved this man.

“It’s perfect.” He whispered. “Just expensive that’s all, took me by surprise.”

“Oh.” Noah answered dumbly, a grin on his lips.

“Let me pay for half.” Cody insisted.

“Nah.”

“No, no nah.” Cody continued. “I’m sending it over now.”

“You do that, and I’ll send it right back.” Noah had a hand on the back of Cody’s neck, pulling him back in for another kiss. “I’ll just leave it up for you to book us somewhere cool to go on holiday instead.” He teased.

Cody knew he wasn’t going to get through to the rich president boy. So he relented, kissing him softly, a hand squeezing Noah’s thigh. It just meant that he got to go all out, picking out somewhere that would blow Noah’s mind in the late summer.

“So, you’re definitely cool with me coming?”

“Very.” Cody grinned, easing back as he heard the back-door bang.

“Noah, Mr Ray wasn’t there!”

Chandra strutted back into the kitchen, then stopped in her tracks when she saw them still inches away from each other, hands still clasped together. “Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to intrude!”

“It’s ok Chandra, you’re not interrupting!” Cody smiled earnestly at her.

Still, Chandra entered the kitchen, stepping cautiously, like she was expecting to stand on a land mine.

“Mom, chill out.” Noah rolled his eyes at her.

“Hmmm, I’m picking up on some excitement though!” She grinned like a cat at the pair. Cody loved her and her gossip sensing ways.

“Was just showing Cody the plane tickets for Monday.” Noah answered.

“Aren’t you going with him? Don’t be so cold Noah!” She chided.

“Duh, mom, that’s why I bought two.”

“And an apartment!” Cody couldn’t hold it in. He was just so ecstatic. And maybe a bit of a gossip too.

“An apartment?!” She was practically bouncing out of her seat.

“Just for a few weeks, instead of staying at a hotel.” Noah replied, bringing up the pictures of the place to show her.

“Let me see!” Cody patted at his boyfriends arm, eager to see. This felt like a vacation already.

“Sure.” Noah turned the screen for Cody to see, after his mother had let out an excited squeal.

“It looks wonderful, I think you two will have a fantastic time!” Chandra sighed. “Ah, I remember when you’re father and I first got together, and we went on a trip to Niagara Falls, it was so beautiful.” She sounded so wistful.

“It’s just my hometown, not quite Niagara Falls! Although, it will be so much better this time.” He shot a smile to Noah.

“Mm, and the last time you went to Niagara Falls, you got married.” Noah joked back.

Cody giggled, he’d got it confirmed that his ‘marriage’ to Sierra wasn’t real, so he was a free man. Or, well, free to Noah.

“Thought we’d drive back.” Noah continued. “Rent a van, with all your stuff, see some sights on the way.” He was twiddling with his phone, shy suddenly. “If you want.”

Oh right, there had only been tickets for the way there.

“That would be perfect.” Cody said quietly, taking one of Noah’s hands in his own again.

“But only if you let me pay this time!”

Noah burst into laughter and nodded, squeezing Cody’s hand back under the table.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was Monday morning and Cody was practically bouncing in the window seat, the flight for Quebec taking off in less than five minutes.

He was terrified, but also stupidly excited for this journey.

Technically, Cody was going home, but he wasn’t really. Dolbeau Mistassini hadn’t felt like home for a while now, not since Total Drama Island and his world had been changed completely. His eyes had been opened to a world outside of a riverside town, to a hundred different viewpoints and ideas, to different cultures and lifestyles, to a new opportunity on how to live his life that he would have been too scared to do otherwise.

But most of all, it had shown him just how small his world had been before, and that now he could be himself every day, express himself in all the colourful and loud ways he’d always wanted to before, but his parents had always silenced. Each time Cody had returned home after a Total Drama trip or a Drama Boys event, he’d felt like he was shrinking, going back into the shadows of who he really wanted to be, like he had to stitch his mouth shut and be on his best behaviour at all times.

But not this time.

He was going back to his childhood town, and he was going as the Cody Anderson who had publicly jumped naked into a pool with the Drama Boys, held up Gwen’s bra on national TV, almost suffocated to death by falling into the Statue of Liberty’s cleavage, fought Alejandro in nothing but a coconut bra and grass skirt and had kissed plenty of boys and wasn’t ashamed of it.

Noah nudged Cody from his left, offering him some sweets, shaking Cody from his musing. Cody smiled gently at him and accepted, chewing on some liquorice as he listened to the Flight Attendant demonstrate how to use an emergency oxygen mask.

This was going to be different though, he was only going back one more time, then he’d be done with them forever.

And better yet, he was going back with Noah, the best boyfriend who Cody could have asked for.

Home wasn’t in Quebec, in a house with silent rooms and hushed tones and classrooms full of sneering looks and snide remarks. It was right there, in the seat beside Cody, chewing on some candy. It was with Noah, joking around and feeling completely relaxed in his company, feeling _safe_ in his arms, that Cody knew where home really was. He knew that it didn’t matter where they were in the world, as long as he was with Noah then he felt grounded. Home wasn’t a physical thing for him anymore, it was a person that he found adorably cute squinting at the blurb of a new book, home was an arms-stretch away and kissable.

And with that sickening thought, Cody gagged, realising that it was salt liquorice that Noah had given him, one of the few sweets that Cody actively hated.

Ok, maybe not the best boyfriend in the world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

They landed, they picked up the rented car, and Cody had still hardly said a word.

“You ok?”

Noah was driving, his eyes on the road on the way to the riverside town, but his hand was across the seat, clasping Cody’s own hand.

“Mmmhmm.” Cody murmured, eyes out the window, distant.

“Really?”

“Just…” Cody watched the trees go by; he’d probably been down this exact road a hundred times in his life. It was starting to feel suffocating.

“Must feel weird right? Going back for such a short time. It’ll probably feel like a vacation once we get to the apartment, not like you’re having to go back to study your butt off for three weeks.” Noah prattled on, trying to ease Cody out of his discomfort.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Cody let out a little laugh.

“We can turn back anytime you want.” Noah spoke softly. Cody knew he would, if Cody asked.

“No, I gotta do this.” As much as it was making his breathing go shallow and his head hurt as they ticked off another mile, getting closer and closer to his hometown. “It’ll be over before I know it, I’m sure.” He hoped that was true.

“Kay.” Noah wasn’t one to press, and Cody appreciated that right now.

They had reached the outskirts of the town by early evening, and Cody was ready to throw up, all his bubbly excitement about the nice apartment and a three-week trip away with just Noah out the window.

“Are we going there first?”

“Uh…yeah?” Noah swore under his breath, only half listening as he tried to find his way with the GPS ordering him around.

“Oh.” Cody had hoped he could prepare a bit more before facing his parents.

They drove a few more streets, before Noah spoke to Cody again.

“Wait, did you mean going to your parents house first?!” He asked, sounding surprised.

“Uh, yeah?” Cody shrugged.

“Oh.” Noah laughed. “I thought you meant going to the apartment. No, I thought you might need a few days before we faced the assholes. Unless you’d rather just get it over with?”

Cody beamed across to Noah, linking their fingers together. Noah could be a little dense sometimes, but he always worked it out eventually. And in moments like this, when it showed that Noah had spent a lot of time thinking about Cody’s feelings, that Cody fell even more in love with him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cody was in awe with the apartment.

He’d walked past these luxurious houses a thousand times over the years, and every time he’d always wondered of what they were like inside, if they looked so fabulous outside.

And now, he stood in the middle of a huge sitting room, plush sofas and dark mahogany floors, an enormous sliding glass door to a balcony that overlooked the river, and he could see that they held up to his day dreaming fantasies.

“Forgot you’re French-speaking.” Noah teased, sneaking up from behind after seeing the landlord out. “It’s pretty cute, not gonna lie.” He wrapped his arms around Cody’s waist, leaning his chin on Cody’s shoulder.

“Heh, want me to use it in bed later?” Cody grinned. He thought he’d seen Noah blush when Cody had suddenly switched to speaking French with the old man as he gave them the keys!

“How about now?”

“Mon Coeur bat la chamade pour toi.” Cody turned in his arms, pecking a kiss to Noah’s cheek.

“Uh, yes?” Noah let out a little laugh. “Ok, I failed French class, please don’t tell anyone, I have no idea what you said. Something about bats?” That made Cody laugh, and kiss him again.

“You’re secrets safe with me, mon étoile!”

“Ok, you’re gonna have to stop, or else I might have to kiss every inch of you right now, here on this sofa.” Noah groaned, bouncing backwards onto the couch, pulling Cody down onto his lap.

“Non.” Cody giggled, his worries from earlier evaporating by the second as Noah began to kiss his jawline, a hand up the back of his shirt already.

That night, Cody spoke a whole lot more French, and Noah was true to his word about making love on the sofa.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had been in the apartment for three days now, and Cody was quite happy to spend the rest of his life in such a luxurious space.

He and Noah had spent the evenings walking around the town, thankfully not running into anyone that Cody knew. A few people had stopped to speak to them, recognising them from Total Drama, and a group of teenage girls asking for autographs but nothing too major. He’d gotten to show off the good parts of his hometown, take Noah out for a nice dinner and they’d spent a _lot_ of time in the bedroom since they’d arrived.

Among all that, Cody had also found the time to check back into his school and receive his exam dates. Everyone in his year was on study leave right now, and he’d kept up with all the course work while he’d been gone. Total Drama didn’t air the dull hours of him sitting in a plane hole, hunched over a text book or reciting French and Spanish phrases with Gwen and Sierra. The teachers were satisfied with his work and was happy to let him continue studying at home, only coming in to sit the exams.

“Mornin’”

Noah had shuffled into the kitchen, wearing nothing but his boxers and hickeys from the night before. Cody had been up for hours, glancing to the clock and smiling to himself at seeing that it was almost lunchtime. Noah loved to sleep in.

“Morning handsome.” Cody stood up and made his way to his boyfriend, wrapping his arms around the others waist and kissing the back of his neck.

“Mm, want some coffee?” Noah turned round, letting the coffee brew as he brought Cody in for a kiss.

“Sure.” Cody answered against Noah’s lips, pressing Noah back against the counter.

Noah didn’t seem to mind, his hands tight at Cody’s hips, bringing their lips together once more.

Cody heard the coffee pot ping, demanding attention, but Cody didn’t care, lost in a deep kiss with Noah. They’d been together officially for over a month now, and it just seemed to get better by the day. Noah was tracing a fingernail over Cody’s hip bone, and Cody could feel Noah hard against him already, their tongues twirling together, the passion hot and heavy and rising. Cody rocked his hips gently, teasingly and grinned against Noah’s lips when he felt Noah’s breath stutter at the motion.

“Fuck the coffee.” Noah said, his voice low and hoarse, pulling at Cody to follow him back to the bedroom.

Cody didn’t have to be told twice, giggling into his sleeve, linking their fingers together as Noah flopped back onto the bed, tugging Cody down onto his lap. Noah wasn’t wrong, Cody sure did love to sit there. Cody couldn’t hold on a second longer, kissing Noah fiercely, making himself comfortable on Noah. Noah held him tightly, confident in where best to put his hands, which bits of Cody’s body were most sensitive, knowing exactly how to make Cody come undone in minutes.

Cody pushed him back against the mattress, bracketing Noah in with his thighs. He shivered as Noah ran a hand up the leg of his shorts and round to the seat, squeezing his ass. Cody felt overdressed for the occasion, in his shirt and shorts, shirking them off in seconds, left in nothing but his boxer briefs. Noah lay back, a smirk on his lips at the strip tease. Cody sat still for a moment; his only movement was his chest rising from his breath.

Noah always left him breathless. 

“C’mere.” Noah’s voice had changed from earlier, softer and sweet. It made Cody’s heart beat fast, hearing just how much Noah felt for him in the tone.

Cody obeyed, leaning in and pressing a kiss to Noah’s jawline, shifting so that their bodies were flush against one another, from chest to shin. Noah groaned beneath him, grinding against him. Cody didn’t hold back, sucking and nibbling on his boyfriends neck, feeling him writhe underneath, all just from the flick of his tongue. He slid down, the tip of his tongue tracing over Noah’s pecs, his navel, all the way down to the waistline of his boxers.

“Hnn, keep going.” Noah sounded breathless, desperate for more.

“Mm, like this?” Cody teased, dipping his fingers under the hem.

“Yes…!” Noah stuttered out as Cody tugged his boxers down fully, his mouth meeting Noah’s member. “Yeah, like that.”

Cody smirked at Noah’s enthusiasm. Noah could usually ramble on for hours with big, fancy words and euphemisms, dripping with sarcasm, but when Cody used his talents, that’s when he was at a loss for words.

Cody wrapped his lips around the head, feeling Noah buck his hips upwards at the wet warmth, his want evident. That spurred Cody on, breathing lightly and sucking, his tongue edging up and down Noah’s length. Noah didn’t last long, falling apart from Cody’s mouth and digging his fingers into the duvet underneath him.

Cody wiped his mouth and grinned, pulling himself up, his thighs numb, and flopped down beside Noah on the pillows. Noah was on him in seconds, pinning Cody down onto the bed and kissing him hard. Cody melted against him, itching for more of Noah, for more of what he was doing with his hands. Cody came, and Noah kissed him again as he rode out the orgasm, ever attentive.

Cody lay against Noah’s side, damp with sweat and skin boiling hot, the sheets kicked to the end of the bed as the pair caught their breath, still holding each other tight.

“That’s a good start to the day.” Noah laughed, kissing Cody on the forehead.

“Better than coffee?” Cody teased. He knew how much Noah loved a cup of black coffee with way too much sugar in the morning. If he could beat that, then he’d officially won the boyfriend lottery.

Noah let out a chuckle against Cody’s lips, kissing him short and sweet. “A hundred times better than coffee.”

Cody giggled, kissing him back.

Noah fell back into a light sleep, and Cody remained in bed with him, even though he was still wide awake and even more energetic than earlier. He took the time to memorise Noah’s features, one hand brushing lightly over Noah’s chest and stomach, the other still linked with the hand Noah had at Cody’s waist. Heather had joked that Noah wasn’t exactly a supermodel, but Cody disagreed. True, Noah didn’t look like a carbon copy of every other tall, muscly white dude on the cover of a magazine, but Cody loved that about him.

Noah’s hair was always soft and silky, and even though Cody used the same shampoo as him, he could never get his too feel as good as Noah’s. His eyes were shut as he dreamed, but Cody knew the sparkle would still be there when he woke later, the dark brown in his eyes so rich it could be the night sky. Noah’s lips were as enticing as ever, lightly pink and Cody wanted to lean over and bite on the fullness of his bottom lip. Everything about Noah was perfect to Cody, from his appearance to his mind. He’d never felt so comfortable with somebody as he did with Noah, sharing all his secrets, unafraid to speak his mind to the other. Noah understood his type of humour, and even when they bantered, it never felt harsh. Cody loved that Noah was so stupidly clever, a fantastic debating partner, always interested in whatever Cody was rambling on about that day.

Cody’s hadn’t won the million dollars, but his life was richer than it had ever been, thanks to Noah.

When had he gotten so lucky? Cody had had that thought a hundred times already, but it didn’t seem to be stopping.

Noah could have picked anyone, yet he still chose Cody, even after all the trouble Cody felt he’d put him through over the years. Cody nuzzled in closer, resting his chin on Noah’s chest and shutting his eyes, comforted by the steady rhythm of his boyfriends heartbeat. On days like this, when it was serene and Cody felt truly loved and his mind was quiet, he couldn’t help but drift into daydreams. Dreams of every morning being like this. That years from now, he’d be in his thirties, or forties, sometimes even older, with greying hair, and still waking up next to Noah and kissing him softly. Still seeing that look of adoration in Noah’s eyes when Cody made him coffee or holding his hand as they drove around.

Cody sighed against Noah’s warm skin, content and at peace, knowing with all his heart that he was going to love Noah for as long as he could.

\------------

It had been five days when Cody finally caved and texted his parents, letting them know that he was back in town.

“ _We know.”_

Cody glared at the blunt response. He’d waited an hour for an answer, his brain pacing back and forth, terrified of the reply, but that snide, useless text had just pissed him off now. He wanted to get this over with, not having to text so much more than he wanted to, if he was only getting two-word answers back.

_“When can I come get my stuff?”_

Cody sat on the sofa, curled up against Noah, biting at his thumbnail and glaring at the trashy movie on the TV. Noah wasn’t paying attention to the film or Cody, lost in a book.

“ _Tomorrow, before lunchtime.”_

Cody sent back an equally blunt _‘k’,_ before pocketing his phone and shaking on Noah’s sleeve to get his attention.

“Yeah?” Noah hadn’t looked up from the page, and his voice was dull, clearly still absorbed in his novel. He probably thought Cody was just trying to ask him to pass the remote.

“Can we go to my parents tomorrow morning?”

“Hn?” That got his attention, bookmarking his spot and turning his head to look at Cody. “Did you speak to them?”

“Yeah, just now. Well, kinda.” Cody showed him the messages. “So, can we go?”

“Uh, duh.” Noah shrugged. “What sorta time do you want to go?”

“About ten?” Cody offered.

“Ok.” Noah didn’t say anymore, but he must have noticed that Cody was back to being twitchy and on edge.

He didn’t return to his book, slinging an arm over the back of the sofa and pulling Cody flush against him. Cody kept his eyes on the screen, trying to force the tears that were pricking at his eyes away.

\------------

Cody hadn’t said a word since they’d gotten in the car.

Noah had prattled on about the crappy songs on the radio or some weird clothes someone was wearing at a crossroads, like he was purposely trying to shift Cody’s mind away from his fretting.

But Cody was panicking, feeling sick to his stomach. He wanted this over with, yes. But they had been his parents for 18 years, and even if they’d been crap at the job, they had been the people who had taught him to ride a bike, take him on holidays, read him bedtime stories. He just wished it didn’t have to end this way.

A tiny part of Cody wanted to just jump out the car, run back to his childhood home, cry and apologies with his head on his mothers lap, that he’d change, that he’d stop everything, if it meant that they could love him again. As much as he had been hurt by his parents, he still loved them underneath, even though Cody knew he shouldn’t. It wasn’t something he could just shake off immediately, no matter how angry he was.

“Oh my God, is that cotton candy? Is there a carnival around? Dude, we need to go later on if there is.”

Noah’s awe at seeing a kid with the bright pink spun sugar shook that ugly thought from Cody’s mind, making him smile at seeing his boyfriend drool over some sweets.

“Yeah, I think I saw signs for one yesterday, it’s here for two weeks.” Cody answered, shooting the first smile he’d made all day in Noah’s direction.

Noah picked up on it, granting Cody with his own lopsided grin. “Really? I love fairgrounds.”

“Same.” Cody agreed, thinking about what he loved even more, who was currently in the driving seat.

They pulled up to Cody’s house, the residential street deserted at this time of day, all the kids at school or adults at work.

Cody slunk back in his seat, eyeing up his house. It wasn’t much to look at, a generic two story with stonework and a well-kept garden, the tree still had the tyre swing that he’d made when he was thirteen attached to it, but right now it felt like a torture chamber to him.

How the hell could he face this?

Cody kept his breath steady as they got out the car, jumping when Noah seemed to slam the door louder than usual, his pulse racing as they made their way up the drive. His mother’s Honda was parked in front of the garage, but there was no sign of his fathers car anywhere, and Cody couldn’t decide if that was a good or a bad thing.

It felt stupidly weird to ring the doorbell and wait for someone to answer, even though his house key was in his back pocket of his jeans. It just didn’t feel right to stride right in anymore either though.

“Hey mom.”

Cody was almost hugging himself, his arms wrapped tightly around his body when the door opened, his mother standing there in her well-kept, prim clothing and a frown on her face.

“Hello Cody.” She stepped aside to let him in, giving Noah a once over with her gaze. “And I take it you’re coming in too?”

“Uh…yeah, we’d probably pack faster that way.” Cody stumbled on the mat, feeling Noah reach out and steady him as he entered.

“I’m Noah.” His boyfriend introduced himself to Cody’s mother.

For all the ways Cody had daydreamed of finally introducing someone to his parents, this wasn’t how he’d pictured it. He’d always kept that little sliver of hope that they’d come around, ever since he’d admitted his sexuality to himself.

“I know.” She replied curtly. “I’m Marilou, though I’m sure you know that already too.”

“Yeah.” Noah shrugged, scanning their hallway, looking bored. “Uh, we brought boxes.”

“You can go get them; I want to speak to Cody for a minute.” Marilou brushed him off.

Noah shot a glance to Cody, to see if he was ok with that, and Cody nodded. He could handle his mother, although she could be rude, she wasn’t on the same level as his father. Noah flashed him a thumbs up for good luck, then slunk back out the doorway to the car, leaving Cody alone with his mom.

“Cody, now’s the chance, please can we just talk this over?” She dropped her chilly tone that she’d used for Noah and switching to the colloquial French that he’d grown up with and it hurt Cody’s heart. This was the voice of his mother, the woman who had raised him, not the one who had screamed at him for kissing a boy in an airport not so long ago.

“What’s there to talk about?” Cody just wanted to get started on packing up his room, not in the mood for a guilt tripping pep talk, heading up the stairs and glaring at the ugly wallpaper. “You and dad think I’m someone that needs to go to a mental asylum, and I’m surprisingly not cool with that.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, we wouldn’t put you in an asylum.” She tutted, following up after him.

“No, just a conversion camp, totally different.” Cody snarked back, Noah’s sarcasm rubbing off on him as he pushed open the door to his old bedroom. He hadn’t been here in months, and it looked like nobody else had either, it was exactly the way he’d left it. 

“You’re father was getting ahead of himself; we could probably just find you help around here. The pastor said he would be happy to talk with you.”

“No mom.” Cody sighed, turning to face her. “This isn’t something Father Pellier can pray out of me. And it’s not something I want him to either. I’m happy mom.” He locked eyes with her on those words, and could see her shift in her stance, uncomfortable.

Good.

“This just isn’t the way boys are supposed to be Cody.” She tried. True, she wasn’t as cold hearted as Matthew Anderson, but she wasn’t naïve either. “I’m sure he’s a lovely boy, but you’re just confused. He’s your friend Cody, not somebody you love and kiss.”

“Nope, I’m pretty confident I love him.” Cody answered back. “And I kiss him plenty too, among other things.” He added that last bit, just to really make her squirm. “And I’m not changing that.”

“You’re father isn’t going to change his mind.” She looked ill at this conversation. Cody felt the same. “He couldn’t even stand the thought of seeing you today, not when you’re like this.”

“Like what?” Cody was getting impatient. “Happy? In love? Thriving? All the things a normal parent would want for their child?”

“Cody, you’re being unfair.”

“No I’m not!” He’d raised his voice. “What’s unfair is the two people who are supposed to love me unconditionally are throwing me out, cutting all ties with me, simply because I love somebody who happens to be the same gender as me! What’s so sane about that? It’s not the 1800’s mom, and it wasn’t fair then either. The rest of the world, fuck, even the rest of this town is accepting of other people, so why can’t you be?” He was breathing heavily, feeling the heat in his cheeks at his outburst. “Why can’t you just love me for who I am?”

Marilou sat down on the end of his bed and put her face in her hands, as if this whole conversation had exhausted her.

“I do still love you Cody,” she cried. “I just can’t get my head around this, why you would ever even want to be with a boy, how you can even think like this?”

Cody sighed at the sight, his mind churning and his chest tight. He was so, so mad at her right now, but he still pitied the woman in front of him.

“If you’ve truly ever been in love, then you’d know why I want to be with him. Or anyone. It’s not about what body parts they have, it’s how we connect, how they make me feel. It happens regardless of their gender for me, it always has, and I can’t change that. I know you don’t understand, but maybe you will eventually.” His tone was still, his voice hushed, like he was trying to explain something to a child.

His mother didn’t answer, staring intently at the floorboards with tears in her eyes, but after a moment she rose from the bed, nodding shakily.

“You’re right, I don’t understand. Not at all. But you’re also right in the other part, that I might eventually. You’re still my baby Cody, I don’t want to lose you completely.”

Cody smiled at that, the first smile he’d had with her in a while.

“But not right now. I need time to think, to speak to your father. It’s best you still go back to Vancouver.”

“I know mom.” He nodded, and they both jumped as they heard the car door slam again, Noah heading back into the house with boxes.

“Just, pack up as quickly as you can. I’ll bring up anything that’s yours from downstairs. You’re father won’t be coming back till lunchtime, and I don’t think he wants you here when he returns.” Marilou’s face had returned to the cold, collected expression that she’d had when they arrived, but Cody could see the shine of tears still in her eyes.

“Ok, we’ll be quick.” Cody replied as Noah knocked on the bedroom door, ready to help.

\------------

Cody’s mom left them too it, not without one last look up and down of Noah with a glare as she shuffled back down the stairs.

“Boxes.” Noah announced, dropping the stack of unfolded cardboard on the floor.

“Thanks, we’ll get this over with quickly, don’t worry.” Cody attempted a smile.

“Right.” Noah sunk to his knees and began rolling up the stripey rug he’d had since he was five years old, making Cody squint at his strange choice of things to pack first.

“We don’t need to pack everything.” Cody let out a little laugh, making for his desk and keyboard instead.

“I mean, soft furnishing is important too, right?” Noah answered. “Even if it is dusty yellow and faded aquamarine, very fashionable in Europe I heard.” He smirked but made his way for the bookshelf instead.

“At least I’ve never been much of a hoarder.” Cody laughed to himself, making quick work of his workspace.

“Although your taste in literature is questionable.” Noah teased, reading the blurb of a book Cody didn’t even remember owning.

“Probably one I got for Christmas some time.” Cody shrugged.

They worked quickly, Cody directing Noah which areas to tackle next, and Marilou came into the room for all of thirty seconds to drop a box of random items from the rest of the house, not saying a word to either of them.

“What was your mom saying to you earlier? I couldn’t understand any of it, you guys speak so fast.” Noah brought up the conversation that Cody had just had half an hour before with her. Sometimes Cody forgot that Noah had failed French.

Cody twiddled with a music box he’d gotten from his grandparents, back when they actually still talked to him, trying to decide to tell Noah about what she’d said or not. Noah might tell Cody that she’s just trying to play him, get him back in the good books to lure him home then cart him off to therapy and away from Noah.

“Cody?”

Oh, right, Noah hadn’t said any of that, it had all been Cody’s mind getting ahead of himself again.

“She…she was trying to get me to stay, or explain, or something.” He shrugged. “She’s not as angry as my dad, she’s just confused and upset.” Noah looked unconvinced, but Cody kept going. “She said she didn’t understand, but she might eventually, and that she doesn’t want to lose me for good.”

Noah seemed to think it over, his scepticism obvious.

“Noah, I don’t know if she’s genuine either.” He sighed, shuffling across the floor and leaning his chin on his boyfriends shoulder, knowing exactly what Noah was thinking. “But she is still my mom, and if she want’s to apologies in the future, I’ll hear her out.”

“Fair enough.” Noah murmured, running a hand through Cody’s hair. “I can kinda get why you’d want that, if in some crazy alternate universe my mom was nuts and homophobic, I’d probably still want to work things out eventually. What about your dad?” He sounded less sympathetic at the mention of Mathew.

“Errr…” Cody wasn’t so sure that one was worth fighting for. “We’ll see.”

“So, I can still beat him up if we run into him in Target?” Noah joked, making Cody giggle at the image.

“If you want, Macho man.” Cody smiled, nudging against him.

“Say, I think we’ve packed up the majority of this room.” Noah leant in close, his lips against Cody’s ear. “Did you ever sneak a boy in here?”

Cody felt his face redden. Kissing his boyfriend in his childhood bed seemed so naughty suddenly. “Nope, you’d be the first.” He replied, keeping his voice quiet.

Noah smirked at the answer, closing the distance between their lips. Cody curled against him, tugging Noah down on top of him. He knew they couldn’t go too far; his mom could walk in at any moment and as much as that seemed hilarious in theory, he knew when to draw the line. Noah seemed to understand, keeping the kiss decent and not too heavy. Cody wanted to keep doing this all day, and he knew they’d get back to this later.

“Mm, keeping that one for the memories.” Cody smiled against Noah’s lips, as the other sat back, a grin on his face. “Let’s just get these downstairs and in the car, then we can go.”

“Ok.” Noah got to work, trying to lift a box. “Oh my God Cody, did we pack boulders?” He grunted, pushing at the box with his knees.

“Nope, just a lot of books. And DVD’s. And computer bits.” Cody smiled at Noah’s huffing, before bending down to help.

“I think we’re gonna need a big apartment for all our junk.” Noah joked as they got the first box down the stairs, shoving it into the back of the car.

“Awesome, big apartment with a nice view of the coast, I’m sold.” Cody snarked back as they made their way back for more.

They got all the boxes jammed into the car within twenty minutes, all without seeing a sign of his mother. Cody locked up the car and told Noah that he’d go looking for her. Noah leant against the car, giving Cody his space.

“Mom? I’m done.” Cody darted into the kitchen but found it empty. “Mom?” He tried the living and dining room, but no sight. He was ready to give up and leave the key on the kitchen table, accepting that she’s left the house, when he saw Marilou out the back window, sitting on the bench with something in her hands.

“Mom? We’re done now.” Cody stepped outside, making her jump with his announcement.

“Hm?” She seemed lost.

“Packing. We’re done packing, we can go now.”

“Oh. Ok.” She didn’t sound excited about anything. Or angry.

Cody noticed she was still clutching some papers in her hands. “Uhm, I’ll leave the keys on the table if you want.”

Marilou shook her head, a reaction at least. “No, it’s fine. Keep them.”

“Won’t dad be mad?” Cody hesitated.

“I won’t tell him.” She replied. “I have something for you to take back to Vancouver.”

Cody relented, sidling over and sitting next to her. Although this was his mother, the aura was awkward, and Cody felt like he could cut the tension in the air with a knife.

“I got distracted looking at these while you were both busy upstairs. Not so quietly I’ll add.” She shot a judgmental look in his direction.

Cody bit back a sheepish smile. “Mm, what are they?”

“Photos.” She answered. “I…I know there’s a rift between us right now,” Cody held back on making on comment on w _hy_ exactly there was one to begin with and let her continue. “But these were happy times, when we were a family.” She held up the first two on the top, tilting them for Cody to see.

Cody scanned the pictures, and he felt a pang of sadness at the images. A picture of the three of them when they’d went to Lake Jasper, Cody sat on his mothers lap and Matthew smiling at the camera, like he wasn’t vile. The second was one from more recent years, a sixteen-year-old Cody hugging his dad, just before he got on the flight heading for Total Drama Island.

“Mm, yeah.” Cody wasn’t sure what she wanted him to say.

“You should take some back with you, and pictures from when you were a child. These are things you can’t get back.”

“Can I pick which ones?” He tried.

“Sure.” She handed the stack to him, and Cody sifted through, picking out mostly ones of himself or a group, an odd few where he was his parents, and only one of his father in his college years.

“These ones.” Cody murmured, getting lost in the memories.

“These are some of your documents you’ll need too.” She handed an envelope to him, birth certificate and doctors information, things he’d need in his new life.

“Thanks.”

“Can…can I take Noah’s home address?” She stumbled out the sentence, like it hurt her throat. “So, I can contact you, eventually.”

“Mm, yeah ok.” Cody didn’t know if he was doing the right thing, but giving her the information surely did no harm? It was up to her to decide what to do with it. “We are moving over the summer though, so you’d need to send a letter or something to get the new address.”

“You are? I thought you were staying with his parents?” Marilou questioned as he took her address book from her lap and scribbled in the details.

“Yeah, we can’t stay with his family forever though, and we’re going to school so it would be nice to live like regular students. We’re getting an apartment, with Owen and Izzy.” Cody rambled.

“You’re really serious with him, huh?” Marilou faced her son, squinting at him, like he’d said something in Russian.

“Very.” Cody answered. “It’s been a long time coming, we first kissed during Island.” The tabloids had announced their relationship, but only cast members and close friends really knew the whole story.

“That long ago?” She didn’t sound disgusted anymore at least, mostly just confused, but Cody could sense her intrigue.

“Yeah, and we had an on-off again thing going since then. I fell for him a long time ago; it just took us forever to work it out properly.” Cody couldn’t hold back a soft smile at his words, thinking back to their first kiss on the docks, and how much their relationship had blossomed since then. He’d been trying to work out his sexuality at sixteen, little did he know it would lead to falling in love and moving in together. 

“Hm.” Marilou didn’t have much to say apparently, and Cody deflated, hoping she’d be a bit more supportive after seeing how happy he was now, just for once.

“We should get going.” Cody stood, clutching the folder.

Marilou nodded and followed him back into the house, not saying another word, hugging the remaining folders and her address book tight against her chest, like it was her lifeline. Cody stepped out the front door, giving one last look inside his childhood home.

“Good luck with your exams.” Marilou said numbly, like she was going to see him next week.

“Thanks, I’ll do my best.” Cody smiled at her sadly.

He had no idea how this day was going to go, he’d expected every kind of scenario going, one where his parents got down on their knees and begged for his forgiveness, another where he got in a fist fight with his father and Noah was in a cheerleading outfit, each more ridiculous than the last. 

But Cody hadn’t ever predicted something so empty, so numb and icy. Not even just from his mother, but he could feel it in himself too. Noah was still against the car, watching the exchange between the Anderson’s with a blank expression, like he was keeping his own feelings of the situation hidden. Really, he couldn’t complain, it was better than plenty of other ways the morning could have went. Maybe it was selfish, but he just wanted a reaction from her, some form of an answer, whether it was positive or not, he didn’t care at this point.

“See you mom.” Cody sighed, turning away and heading for the car.

Noah got the hint and opened the door for Cody, before moving round the side to get into the drivers seat. Cody saw that his mother hadn’t responded still, standing like a statue of conservativeness on the doorstep. At least she’d put the book down somewhere along the way. Cody slid into the seat with one last wave, tipping the folder into the backseat.

“You ok?” Noah asked gently, reaching across for Cody’s hand.

“Mhm.” Cody couldn’t find his voice, the tears stuck in his throat. “Just…let’s get out of here.” Noah opened his mouth to say something, but Cody cut him off. “Please, just drive.”

Noah listened to him, taking his hand back to start the engine as Cody began to buckle in.

“Cody!” Both of the boys jumped at Marilou slamming her fist against Cody’s window. “Cody, out!” She stepped back, giving Cody room.

He cast a startled glance to Noah, before he unclipped the seatbelt and stumbled out onto the drive again.

Marilou didn’t hesitate this time, grabbing Cody towards her and hugging him tight. Cody gasped, she hadn’t hugged him in a long time, ever since Island, he guessed. He could feel her crying against his shoulder, her grip stifling, but he rose his arms, hugging her back. Cody, never one to keep his emotions all that well-kept, let the tears flow.

 _“D_ _é_ _sol_ _é_ _pour tout, Cody.”_ His mother stuttered her words, but he understood.

_I’m sorry for everything._

Cody didn’t know if he could ever fully forgive her for the past few months, but at least it seemed she was trying to change. Maybe she was just scared to lose her child, or to be perceived as evil by the rest of the world, her reputation always so important, but that would be revealed eventually.

Cody’s jaw was trembling as he cried like a little kid in her shoulder, like he had hundreds of times before. But now he was taller than her, on his own, all grown up. He couldn’t rely on her, but he did want to make amends, someday.

“ _Merci, mama.”_ Cody said after a while, and she relented, wiping her eyes fervently as if she didn’t want the neighbours to see. _“Adieu.”_ Cody squeezed her hand one last time, slipping back into the car.

“ _Au revoir.”_ She waved, the tears still streaming down her face, but a smile finally on her lips again.

Cody nodded for Noah to start the car again, gulping back his tears as Noah reversed and drove away slowly, Marilou remaining, waving robotically to the vehicle.

Cody kept the house in sight for as long as he could, trying to memorise the slats of the wooden panelling, the colour of the leaves on the trees, his last look at his mother in what could end up being a long, long time. He’d thought this would be easy, shove everything in the car and drive off, a few last words between himself and his shitbag parents.

But it wasn’t.

Giving up his whole life, everything he’d ever known, even if it was hurting him, still felt like he’d been stabbed in the heart. Cody didn’t know if he’d ever get to see his family again, not even sure if he w _anted t_ o, but saying goodbye to his mother had crushed his heart like he hadn’t expected.

Noah drove a few streets, before parking up, the streets still residential and devoid of busy people.

“Noah?”

Noah cut the engine, letting out a huff of breath, making Cody fluster, wondering what had made Noah stop.

Noah shifted in his seat to face Cody, and any panic that had risen in Cody dissolved at the look of pure adoration on Noah’s face.

“I’m, sorry…” Noah tripped up on his words and shook his head, his hinderance to stay what he really felt rising again.

“Noah, are you ok?” Cody laid a hand on Noah’s thigh, trying to calm his boyfriend.

“Yeah.” Noah linked their fingers together, bouncing his leg to make Cody’s hand shake. “Yeah, I’m fine, don’t worry about me. It’s you, I should be asking if you’re ok. That was…” He sighed again, leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to Cody’s lips. “I’m just so stupidly proud of you right now, ok?”

“You are?” Cody grinned against his mouth, beaming at the words.

“Very.” Noah smiled lazily at him. “I have no idea how you have the guts to do any of this in the first place. I’d have just ran off and hid away from the world forever ago. And I know how hard that was, to have to defend yourself to your mother. But the fact that you have so much care and forgiveness for her, all while still being able to hold your own, you just amaze me.”

“I was just getting on with it, nothing admirable.” Cody’s cheeks flushed. And Noah brought a palm to one of his cheeks, and Cody leant against it, relaxing against the touch.

“Nah, I’m pretty fucking impressed.” Noah said. “I think I would have said something nasty shit if I’d been you. Are you going to keep in contact with her?”

“She gave me some photos, from when I was a kid. As well as my documents and things I’ll need.” Cody pointed to the folder on the back seat. “She asked for your home address, to know where I am, to contact me eventually. I gave her it, hope that’s cool.”

“Course.” Noah smirked back. “She’d better send you a rockin’ Christmas card by the way.”

“It was hard.” Cody admitted. “I’m still so stupidly angry and upset with her, but if she really proves that she wants to make amends, I’ll listen for sure.”

“’Kay.” Noah nodded, leaning back in for one last kiss. “God, you’re cute.” He let out a laugh.

“Shut up, you’re the one that’s gorgeous.” Cody stifled his laughter as a man walked by outside, peering in at the parked car.

“Mm, wanna get back home, chuck this stuff in the spare room then make out?” Noah offered, voice low and seductive, just the right level of sultriness to get Cody tingling in his seat.

“Yeah, let’s go home.” Cody purred.

\------------

Cody didn’t hear another word from his parents for another week, then all hell broke loose.

He and Noah had been minding their own business, watching TV after an afternoon of studying for Cody, and napping for Noah, when the doorbell rang.

They shared a confused glance to each other when it rang again, longer and louder. Someone was buzzing repeatedly, desperate for them to answer.

“Did you order food and forget about it again?” Cody asked, lifting his head off of Noah’s chest.

“No?” Noah seemed equally shocked at the interruption.

“Uhm, I’m not expecting anyone.” Cody got to his feet, stretching out his arms.

“Me neither, not exactly my side of town.” Noah followed him to the door, yawning.

Cody jumped as the buzzer rang again, shrill and demanding.

“Ok, ok. God, persistent much?” Cody muttered to himself as he unlocked the door and swung it open.

Cody’s eyes widened at the visitor, panicking at the sight of his father stood there on the doorstep, his arms crossed and glaring at his son like he could melt him just by looking hard enough.

“Uhm.” Cody felt the breath leave his body at the sight of his father.

Matthew didn’t even bother with a hello, shoving past Cody and into the house, his temper stormy and harsher than Cody had seen in a while.

“Uh, excuse me?” Noah was in the hallway, and for his first meeting with Matthew, he hadn’t expected it to be smacking into him as he stomped through the house like he owned the place.

“What the hell did you do to your mother?” He rounded on the boys, ignoring Noah’s presence completely.

“What? Who the hell do you think you are, coming in here?” Noah was the one answering, Cody was frozen by the door.

“I’m his father, I can do what I want with him.” Matthew bit back, petulantly.

“Uh, pretty sure you lost that title when you disowned him!” Noah was having none of it. “Now, get the hell out!” He was doing his best to be as threatening as Matthew, but the look just wasn’t quite the same in his sweatpants and hoodie. His snarky tone was colder than usual though, and Cody could tell he was pissed off.

“I’m not here to talk with the likes of _you,”_ Matthew sneered at Cody’s boyfriend. “now get out of the way and let me speak with him. What are you, his bodyguard?”

Cody felt like time had stopped as he watched the two argue, Noah stepping in front of him, blocking Cody from his fathers view.

“Nope, just his boyfriend who loves him a hell of a lot more than you ever have. Somebody who actually gives a shit about him and doesn’t let assholes talk to him like he’s a piece of dirt. Not anything you’d have a clue about.” Noah quipped.

“Oh please, all you do is uproot him from his family home, turn him against his own parents, trick him with fake promises and whatever else your kind can do.”

“Oh, if you…” Noah was pointing a finger, looking ready to fulfil his promise of beating up Cody’s dad.

Cody laid a hand on Noah’s bicep, shaking himself out of his stupor. Noah stopped, but Matthew didn’t.

“Now see here, this is the stuff I’m talking about. A couple of pansies, you’ve made my son into a fruitcake!”

“Fruitcake’s delicious, _really_ love it.” Noah rolled his eyes.

“Dad, what do you want?” Cody was trying to calm them both down, not mentally prepared for a fight.

Matthew relented on his tirade with Noah, casting a grimace to Cody.

“Oh, he speaks?” He taunted.

“I don’t have time for this, what do you want?” Cody repeated himself, his hand still on Noah’s arm, the heat from his skin grounding Cody.

“Ah, yes. Because you look s _o_ busy right now, true product of your generation, aren’t you? Still in your pyjamas at this time, honestly.”

“We just got out of bed, that’s why. And not for sleeping, if you get what I mean.” Noah shot back sarcastically. “Actually, you probably don’t. Seems like you haven’t had any since 1993, might explain why you’re such a miserable douchebag.”

“Noahhh.” Cody groaned, hiding his smirk behind his hand, not wanting to enrage his father any more than he already was. “Dad. Hurry up.” He’d never been so rude to his father before, but Cody was past politeness.

“Well, I don’t want to be here any longer than necessary.” Matthew acted like he wasn’t here by his own free will. “Your mother. What did you trick her for? I want you to tell her that whatever you said to her was lies, and not to mess with your own poor mother’s head.”

“What?” Cody had no idea what he was talking about.

“Ever since you came back to the house, she’s not been herself.” He explained, terribly. When Cody still looked at him with a blank expression, Matthew snorted and carried on. “It’s like she’s lost her mind. She’ll hardly speak to me, looking over old photographs instead. When we have talked, she’s had the gall to ask me to consider forgiving you. I even caught her looking up sinful information on the computer last night!”

“I have no idea what happened to her, maybe she’s finally coming to her senses?” Cody shrugged. “What was she looking up that was so bad?”

“She was on homosexual websites, trying to read up on your disease. Reading other families experiences, good Christian families that have turned against God to accept their children’s mistakes.”

“Good for her.” Noah cut in.

“Shut it.” Matthew snarled at the younger. “So whatever it was you said to her the other day that made her change and lose her head, I want you to send a letter and tell her you’re wrong. And not to contact her again after that.”

Cody had always been scared of this man standing before him, arms crossed and taking up the space in the hallway.

But now he just felt pity for the other.

Here he was, storming into his disowned sons house to kick up a storm, because his wife had decided to stop being an ignorant homophobe like himself. He was like a toddler having a tantrum, and Cody had never hated their genetic similarities more than right now. How could he be related to such a clueless idiot?

“No.”

“No?” Matthew seemed genuinely shocked that Cody wasn’t going to do what he said.

“No.” Cody repeated. “Your so, so stupidly crazy dad. Good for mom, for thinking for herself for once. There’s hope for her yet.”

“Hope?” Matthew scoffed. “More like ruin.”

“Jesus Christ, you’re worse than a batman villain.” Noah muttered under his breath.

“Don’t you talk about Christ; your type don’t know a thing about the saviour.”

“Ooh, racist and homophobic! Such a catch!” Noah didn’t seem insulted, having fun with his quips instead.

“I’m not saying anything to her.” Cody carried on. “All I did was explain myself and tell her that I’m happy. She’s more humane than you, so it seems to have made her think. Maybe you should start doing the same?”

Matthew laughed bitterly at that. “You really are a lost cause, aren’t you?”

“Seems so.” Cody didn’t care in the least what his father thought of him anymore.

Noah glanced at Cody, catching his eye with a smile. If this was what being lost was like, then Cody didn’t ever want to find his way again. He knew his father was the one that was wrong, unable to open his eyes to his own sons happiness, that the love he shared with Noah wasn’t something to be ashamed of.

“So are we done here?”

Noah smirked at Cody’s brashness, proud of Cody.

Matthew stood there, gaping like a fish. He hadn’t expected this, he’d always known Cody to be a pushover, scared to go against anything he said. He didn’t know what to do with a boy who’d suddenly grown a backbone.

“I have nothing more to say to you.”

“The feeling’s mutual.” Cody held his gaze, his eyes cold. “Please leave.”

Matthew gave in, shoving Noah to the side and casting one last look of disgust to his son and his partner as he swung open the door. “I’m not going to forgive you. Your mother can do what she wants in her fifteen minutes of madness, but I’ll never stop that low.”

Cody didn’t say a word, standing on the door step, skinny legs in his shorts, his lip trembling, but determined to not let his father win.

“Bye.” He said, slamming the door in Matthews face, crushing his toes from standing too close.

Cody stood still on the other side of the door, scared to breathe, as he waited for his father to leave. Noah remained by the wall, rubbing the back of his head, letting Cody come to him first.

Cody let out a sigh of relief when he heard his dad’s car engine start, the scrunching of the tires on gravel and the squeal of the car on the road. He was gone, for good, Cody hoped.

“You ok?”

Cody turned to look at his boyfriend, feeling instant rejuvenation when their eyes met. This was all worth it, Cody knew it.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Wasn’t expecting him to turn up.” Cody let out breathlessly.

“Not your fault.” Noah shrugged, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around Cody’s waist. “Your dads a dick, by the way. Just thought you should know.” He said, resting his chin on top of Cody’s head.

Cody smiled into his shoulder, his fingers curling against the soft cotton of Noah’s hoodie. “Yeah, for definite.” He giggled.

“I just don’t get how you came from a creature like that. Like, you’re adorable, and he makes orcs look polite.”

“Poor orcs.” Cody loved this about Noah, able to cheer Cody up instantly. “Not getting laid since 1993? That was brilliant, I was trying so hard not to laugh.”

“I wish he’d stayed longer, I wanted to ridicule him more.” Noah laughed back. “Joking, I’m glad he’s gone.”

“Me too.” Cody murmured, letting Noah tug him back to the sofa. “Asshole ruined our TV marathon.”

“Then let’s continue.” Noah kissed him gently, butterfly soft against his lips. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”

Cody melted at the words, hoping that was true. He settled on the sofa with Noah, flopping back against his chest and pressing play on the TV. It was mundane, domestic, and Cody prayed that they could have this simple soft love forever.

\------------

The rest of Cody and Noah’s stay in Dolbeau Mistassini went smoothly.

Cody studied hard and finished up his exams. He thought he’d done ok, but he wouldn’t know the final results until later, when he’d be back in Vancouver. Gwen had visited for a day, filling Cody in on all the drama with her, Courtney and Duncan. Noah had left them to it downtown, trusting Cody to hang with his previous crush. He’d came home that evening with a box of cannoli and a kiss for Noah, energetic and happy to see his friends, but just as excited to still be with Noah. Noah felt quite at home cruising through his stack of books, curled up somewhere in the apartment in his pyjamas, but he enjoyed his time out with Cody, when they’d explore the boardwalk or snug little cafes. 

Every night, Cody snuggled into Noah’s arms, pressing a kiss to his ear, and knew he was deeply in love.

Their time away had went great, and as much as Cody loved living with Noah’s family, at home in their loud personalities and caring company, but spending three weeks alone with just Noah, playing house, had felt fantastic. He bit back the urge to ask Noah if they could always be like this, but he didn’t want to scare him off. Sure, they were going to live together, and share with Izzy and Owen when they got back to the west coast, but Cody felt like announcing his dreams to share a home with Noah forever so early on in their relationship might make him run for the hills in fear.

“I can’t believe we have to leave in two days.” Cody sighed; his voice muffled.

“What?” Noah could hardly hear him, from the burrito of blankets that Cody had wrapped himself up in on the bed.

Cody’s chestnut hair poked out from a corner, his cheeks flushed, and Noah sidled over to kiss them. “Mm, I said that I can’t believe we have to leave in two days, the time has went so fast.” Cody repeated himself, tilting his cheek into Noah’s palm.

“Same, I’ve liked it here.” Noah sat down on the bed beside his boyfriend, Cody wriggling to drop his head on Noah’s lap in seconds. “What do you want to do today? Or, well, the rest of the afternoon? Since you’re a free man from school now.”

They’d had an energetic morning, all without leaving the bed, and Noah would gladly spend the rest of the day there too, but he felt they should make the most of their time left in Quebec.

“Hm, I don’t know.” Cody sighed happily, sitting up to climb onto Noah’s lap. “Round two?”

“Round two? More like round five.” Noah laughed, pulling him backwards onto the bed with giddy smile.

They hadn’t been kissing long, Noah’s boxers were still on when Cody pulled away, a look of deep thought on his face.

“You ok?” Noah leant back on his elbows, looking up at the brunette.

“The poster.” Cody said simply, like that made any sense.

“The poster?” Noah wasn’t following but was incredibly intrigued.

“The poster, we saw for the fairground, on the way to my mom’s house!” Cody slammed a fist into his palm, on a roll. He got like this, when he was excited, not exactly making sense at first.

Noah didn’t comment on how Cody termed it ‘his mom’s house.’, not his parents. He’d picked up on the fact that Cody hadn’t been referring to it as his home or his childhood home in a few months, even from before World Tour had started, always calling it his parents house. But calling it only his mother’s, that was new. Ever since the incident with Matthew Anderson, Noah had noticed that Cody hadn’t brought him up at all, and now ignoring his presence at his old house was another addition. It was like Cody had wiped all memories or recognition of his father out of his mind, like Matthew seemed to have done about Cody. Seemed fair enough, but Noah worried a bit, he shouldn’t just try to push it aside and ignore it, Noah knew the consequences of doing that tactic well.

“Ah, yeah. What about it?”

“Let’s go!” Cody was beaming at him, bouncing with energy and golden excitement. Noah melted at the sight.

“Right now?” He let out a burst of laughter as Cody practically jumped from the bed, grabbing his phone to search up the carnival.

Cody didn’t answer for a minute, clearly reading up. “Tonight is the last night of it in town, we have to go!”

“Ok, we definitely do.” Noah wasn’t going to say no, even if it did breakup a makeout session. They could continue this later anyway. “Especially if it’s last night.”

“It’s fate.” Cody joked and tilted his head, casting Noah a lopsided smile, emitting happiness.

Noah felt his heart stutter at the sight, Cody smiling so openly at him. They’d been together for a bit now, and Noah had loved him for a hell of a lot longer than that, but Cody still made him blush, make him get the butterflies when he smiled at him or held his hand in the street.

“Anyway, let’s get ready!”

\-----------

They took a little longer than usual to get ready, sharing the shower and Cody playing about with Noah’s lengthening hair for far longer than necessary. The car ride was joyful, Cody’s vocal excitement seeping into every single one of Noah’s pores, bathing him in happiness. Even though they spent over an hour driving around town looking for the fair, as well as stopping for gas, they eventually made it as the sun was beginning to set.

“You ready?” Cody giggled as they paid the entrance fee, the cheerful glint in his eye illuminated by the neon pink glow from nearby rides.

“Very.” Noah could never be as hyper and childish as Cody on the outside, but he was equally excited for the date.

As they entered, the familiar smell of popcorn, cotton candy and fried foods hit Noah’s nostrils like a freight train, but Cody was more interested in the nearby stalls and games.

“Dude, you have to let me win you something.” Cody boasted, half-running towards one of the shooting stalls.

“Maybe, but only if it’s something ridiculous.” Noah smirked, secretly pleased that Cody was so eager to get him something.

Cody kept his word, working the glued-down water gun like a pro, almost hitting all the paper targets.

“Better luck next time son!” The vendor cheered him on regardless, handing Cody a pick and mix bag of sweets, the second-place price.

Cody fished out more coins from his pocket, staring back at the stallholder with intent. “Please let me go again, I’ll win this time.” Cody said, his voice serious.

Noah tried not to laugh at his boyfriends tongue sticking out as he concentrated on his aim, on a mission to win. After the fourth attempt, Cody hit the jackpot, screeching with glee and hooking his arms around Noah’s neck and laughing into his shoulder.

“Well done boys, now what are you after? Winning something for your partner, huh?” The man grinned at the pair, gesturing to the array of stuffed toys hanging up behind him.

“Yeah…something for him.” Cody smiled bashfully, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear and scanning the prizes. “Now, let’s see which is the dorkiest looking…”

Noah felt his heart flutter at his reply. They were publicly together now, but Cody still seemed to get nervous at times, not holding Noah’s hand if they saw a large group of rough-looking guys nearby or getting frazzled over comments on their fan pages. This was possibly the first time that Noah had heard Cody confirm to a complete stranger what they were, secure of their relationship. Proud, even.

Noah was interrupted from his thoughts as Cody pushed an oversized toy squirrel into Noah’s arms. Noah looked down at the plushie, it’s wonky eyes and enormous teeth. It was possibly both the ugliest and cutest thing that he’d ever seen in his life.

“What do ya think?” Cody bounced on his feet. “Thought it looked funnier than the moose or the beaver.”

“I love him.” Noah laughed, hooking his spare arm over Cody’s shoulders and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “He’s hilarious. Help me think up a name for him?”

“Hmmm, give me time.” Cody pondered, melting into his side as they waved goodbye to the stallholder and filtered into the crowd of the fairground.

They went on most of the rides, some more than once. Noah quickly found out that Cody could stomach anything, eating deep-fried pickles then immediately going on a ride that flung him upside down, all without barfing. Noah on the other hand, sat that one out, trying to keep his snacks down just from watching his boyfriend laughing manically at being thrown 50ft in the air.

Eventually, the fair was beginning to quieten down, and Noah could feel the chill in the air.

“Anywhere left you want to see?” Cody twiddled with his pukka-shell necklace, one that Noah had won him as a joke. The weirdo seemed to genuinely like the tacky garment.

“Uhhh…” Noah glanced around them, seeing stalls and rides they’d already seen, until his eyes landed on the hugest thing in the park, something they’d somehow managed to miss. “That.” He pointed.

“How the hell did we miss the Ferris wheel?” Cody laughed lightly, steering them towards the small queue. “Hopefully their still letting people on!”

After a short wait, the pair, minus the stuffed toy, were seated in a chair and being lifted into the air. The style of the ride was one of the older-fashioned types, there wasn’t a cage or pod, just a metal bench with a bar keeping them in place. Above them, was a slight covering of yellow and pink fabric, but it didn’t hold much protection. They were lucky that it was a clear, dry night.

Cody didn’t say a word as they rose gently, higher and higher, staring out at the fields around them, Dolbeau Mistassini in the not-so-far distance, the lights sparkling and magical in the dark. He glanced up, at the sky above them, although it was early summer, the stars were already beginning to show, flickering on like little fireflies of the heavens.

“It’s pretty.” Noah stated the obvious.

Cody turned his head to look at the other, forgetting for a moment that he was there. “It really is.” He smiled in response. He wasn’t talking about the view anymore.

“They’re cheesy, but I’ve always wanted to go on one of these with someone I like.” Noah continued, his eyes shifting lazily to look Cody in the eyes.

Cody felt his heart hammering in his chest, getting a blast of affection for how much he was in love with this dork. “Same. Do I fit the bill?” He teased.

“You know you do.” Noah let out a dry laugh, nudging their shoulders.

The ride stilled to a halt, letting more people on, but they weren’t quite at the top. Cody felt nervous, the butterflies still fluttering in his stomach, but he reached across the bar to link their fingers together. Their seat swung gently in the summer breeze, not enough to tilt dangerously, but enough to lull Cody into a dreamier state than he already felt.

This whole trip had felt like a Ferris wheel to him. He’d started at the bottom, crying on the phone from his parents disapproval, bolted in and no control on how to stop the ride. He felt up in the air of what to do with his life, swaying gently in time, at a crossroads of where to go. The moment was lulled, and Cody had a minute to breath in the fresh air, take a moment to think and look around. He looked across the grassy landscape to his hometown, the only home he’d ever known until recently and closed his eyes, but he was even more aware of Noah’s warm palm pressed against his own, a contrast to the cold bar and the realisation hit him.

“I think this is going to be the last time I’ll be here.” Cody murmured, more to himself than to Noah.

“Like, a fairground?” Noah asked, perplexed at his unclear words.

“To Dolbeau Mistassini.” Cody explained further. “It just feels like it’s time to go. I’m not the boy I was even a year ago, and I feel like I’ve outgrown it. Looking at the town from here, beautiful in night, the lights far away, that’s what it should be in my mind. That’s what I’m going to do.” Cody opened his eyes, letting out a breath he didn’t know he’d even been holding in. 

Noah didn’t say anything at first, but when he did, his tone was gentle, understanding. “What if you see your mom again?”

“Then she can meet me somewhere else.” Cody answered simply, blinking suddenly when the lights went out on the ride around them. “Uh…what’s happening?” He began to panic.

Noah leant over the side, making Cody’s heart jump with fear. There were a few shouts from below, and Cody couldn’t make them out, but Noah had understood. “There’s been a malfunction with the ride, we’re fine don’t worry.” Noah granted him an easy smile and a squeeze of his hand. “So typical.”

“Hope the squirrel is ok down there.” Cody joked, the adrenaline of fear disappearing. “Well, since we’re stuck here…” Cody flicked a cat-like grin in Noah’s direction, and that said enough, Noah leaning towards him and crashing their lips together.

Cody kissed Noah with fire, getting a taste of the cotton candy he’d been eating a little while before, desperate to taste him forever. Noah had a hand through Cody’s hair, making him shiver more than the breeze did, their legs pressed together. If the bar wasn’t in the way, Cody would have already swung his legs into Noah’s lap, as predictable as ever.

“We’re so ridiculous.” Noah chuckled when they broke apart for air.

“What?” Cody wasn’t insulted, he knew it was true.

“It’s just so…” Noah was trying to find the right words, a soft smile still printed on his lips. “movie like.” He settled on. “Actually, our whole story has been. Like, c’mon our first kiss was on some starry docks by the ocean. Now I can’t believe I’m getting to kiss the love of my life on a Ferris Wheel under the stars.” He began to laugh, then stilled, realising what he’d said.

“I’m the love of your life?” Cody whispered, awestruck.

“I…I didn’t mean to say that.” Noah stuttered; the panic evident in his eyes that he’d overstepped.

“But did you mean it?” Cody asked. That’s what he cared about.

Noah didn’t answer, closing his eyes and his mouth. Cody pressed a kiss to his jaw, one to his cheek, then finally one to his ear, and that third kiss made Noah let out a gasp.

“Noah.” Cody persisted.

“Yes. I mean it. Or at least I think I do.” Noah spoke shyly. “I mean, you kinda can’t ever tell for certain with these things, but yeah. Please don’t freak out though, I know it’s too early…”

Cody cut him off with another kiss, this one firmly to his mouth. “Shoosh.” He cupped his boyfriends face, melting at the sight of those gorgeous chocolate eyes looking into his own. “I love you with all my life Noah. And yeah, we’re young and we don’t know what’s going to happen and people will think we’re going to fast. But if I know one thing right now, if I could pick anyone to love forever,” He whispered against Noah’s lips. “I’d pick you. Every time, I’m gonna pick you.”

Noah smiled against his lips, and Cody couldn’t resist another kiss, savouring the time with him. As they kissed, high up in the air, the fairground lively beneath them, it didn’t matter to them. All they cared for right now was each other, this sweet summer love that both prayed would blossom into a lifelong partnership.

“You’re such a dork Cody.” Noah burst into laughter when the ride picked up again, pulling him against his chest in a jumbled side hug. “But I love you.”

“I love you too Noah.” Cody said against his hoodie. “I know we’re gonna be exhausted tomorrow, but I can’t wait to get back home and start a life with you.”

“It’s gonna be awesome.” Noah agreed.

And Cody believed him.

\------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I'm finally done!!  
> So sorry for the long time away, I kept stopping and starting at parts, but yep, this story is officially finished!  
> They've been such a joy to write, and I'm so thankful for everyone that has read this story until the end <3  
> This was really interesting for me to write this chapter, from Cody's perspective. I generally find writing Noah's POV easier, but to explore this topic, it really had to be from Cody's. It kind of brought up some of my own memories of my friends and our experiences, which is why it took a bit to write. The last part, of knowing he wasn't going home again, that bit hit ahahaha.   
> Also, apologies if my French is awful! If it's incorrect, somebody please tell me and I will edit! My French is not the greatest, and I have absolutely no experience with Quebecois French either. But ages ago, when I first started watching TD, I can't even remember how, the headcanon came in of Cody being from a French-speaking town. So it seemed like it had to be mentioned.
> 
> Hopefully you've liked the end! 
> 
> I am still working on the next few fics, as well as ones in other fandoms, but the next few months are going to be very busy for me so you probably won't get another story from me until the next year. 
> 
> À bientôt!

**Author's Note:**

> And we're finished!!!  
> And they're together, and happy! At last!!!
> 
> This fic has been an absolute joy to write, and I'm working on the epilogue right now. I was going to post it as a separate story, but then just figured I'll add it in as the final chapter, so technically this fic is still not complete aha  
> I felt like Cody's issues with his parents wasn't quite finished and he had to face them at some point, and the lovely TerminallyChaotic gave me the idea to write the sequel!
> 
> Thank you so, so much everyone for reading to the end and all the feedback has been so amazing and really made this so much easier to write. I'd be having a really shitty day at work, then I'd get a notification that somebody had commented or Kudos the story, and it immediately put a smile on my face <3 
> 
> I'm not done writing NoCo, or Total Drama fic at all. I'm in the first few chapters of a new fic, with additional pairings this time. It'll be interesting to write some different ships for once! I'm really looking forward to it, it's a soulmate road-trip au, but I am a bit apprehensive as some of the ships may not be so popular aha.   
> The road trip follows the Trans-Canadian Highway from west to east coast, and I have a vague idea of places to go, but I am a simple Scot who has never been to Canada, so if anybody knows any places along the way that are awesome, please send me a recommendation! 
> 
> Until next time <3


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